Houston is an interesting team on this list that I was surprised to have so high, but their new head coach Willie Fritz is who they have to thank for that. After not even becoming bowl-eligible and firing their head coach in the offseason, Houston seemed like a sinking ship.
Fritz took a Tulane team that struggled heavily in the American Athletic Conference and made them into the powerhouse that dominated the conference for two years. The Cougars are hoping he can bring those same talents with him to Houston. The first step to that is to do something big in the transfer portal before you even coach in a game.
Houston went heavy on the defensive side of the ball when it came to the portal. The Cougars will have three new defensive linemen, three new linebackers, and five new defensive backs. It will be interesting to see how Houston fairs in their second season in the Big 12. With Texas and Oklahoma gone, it is truly anyone's game now.