Did Texas Senator Ted Cruz Jinx Houston in Loss to Florida?

People love sports. And when their favorite teams lose, they sometimes look for someone or something to blame. Lately, some fans in Texas are pointing fingers at someone unexpected: their own U.S. Senator, Ted Cruz.

Here’s why: On April 7, 2025, the Houston Cougars basketball team played against the Florida Gators. It was a close game, but Houston lost by just two points. The final score was 65 to 63. Guess who was there watching the game? Yep, Senator Cruz.

Was Houston's Loss to Florida a Ted Cruz Curse?

After that game, fans started talking again about what they’re calling the “Cruz Curse.” That’s the nickname for the idea that every time Ted Cruz goes to a Texas team’s game, they end up losing. It sounds silly, but some fans are taking it kind of seriously. Or at least, they’re having fun pretending to!

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This isn’t the first time this idea has come up. In 2023, the Houston Astros lost a big baseball series while Cruz was at the games. Then, in 2024, the Texas Longhorns football team lost a big bowl game. This was also while Cruz was in the stands. Fans started joking that maybe it’s not the teams’ fault… maybe it’s the senator’s!

Houston Loses to Florida After Ted Cruz Shows Up

Of course, there’s no real proof that Ted Cruz is bad luck. Teams win and lose for all sorts of reasons: how they play, what the coaches decide, and even just random chance. One person in the crowd probably doesn’t have much to do with it.

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