This weekend will see Texas Tech Football do something it hasn't done since 2002, play host to a ranked team inside Jones AT&T Stadium for a non-conference game. No. 25 Houston will be the first ranked opponent from outside the Big 12 to play at Tech's home stadium since Philip Rivers led then-No. 17 NC State to a 51-48 overtime win in Lubbock.
And while these two are non-conference foes now, UH will be joining the Big 12 in 2023, becoming a regular fixture on the Red Raiders schedule.
When you're talking about the Red Raiders and Cougars, you're talking about a couple programs very familiar with one another. These two are meeting for the 34th time this Saturday. In fact, the Red Raiders have faced UH more than Kansas or Kansas State, making for a rivalry richer in history than some of Tech's current conference "rivals."
This will be the sixth meeting between the Red Raiders and Cougars since the old Southwest Conference (SWC) disbanded after the 1995 season. Texas Tech is 4-1 in those games with wins in 2010 at home (35-20), in 2017 at Houston (27-24), in 2018 at home (63-49) and in 2021 in the Texas Kickoff at NRG Stadium (38-21). This is the final contest in a four-game contract between Texas Tech and Houston that started with the 2017 season. Just in time too, with the whole Big 12 realignment thing, obviously. Try to keep up.
Let's take a quick look at the visiting Coogs and hosting Red Raiders:
Houston Cougars (1-0) | AAC
Head Coach: Dana Holgorsen, 20-15, Year 4 | 81-56 Overall in 12 Seasons
The Coogs are coming off of an impressive 37-35 3OT victory against UTSA last Saturday, becoming the first team to beat the Roadrunners in San Antonio since 2019. Houston trailed 21-7 after three quarters. QB Clayton Tune went 22-for-32 for 206 yards and three touchdowns and had a team-high 51 rushing yards with a TD to lead a Cougar offense that scored 30 points after the start of the fourth quarter. WR Nathaniel Dell had five receptions for 50 yards and two touchdowns. The defense was paced by LB Donavan Mutin, who had 11 tackles. Houston has won 13 of its last 15 games, dating to last season. Tune has thrown at least one touchdown pass in each of his last 12 games. The Cougars were chosen as the favorite in the American Athletic Conference preseason poll.
Texas Tech Red Raiders (1-0) | Big 12
Head Coach: Joey McGuire, 1-0, Year 1 | 1-0 Overall in 1 Season
Week 1 was kind to Tech as well, with the Red Raiders rolling to a 63-10 win against Murray State in Joey McGuire’s head coaching debut last Saturday. McGuire came to Lubbock after spending the 2017-21 seasons at Baylor, most recently as associated head coach and outside linebackers coach for the Bears’ 2021 Big 12 championship squad. Texas Tech’s 2022 schedule includes five games against preseason top-25 teams (Houston, NC State, Oklahoma State, Baylor, Oklahoma). Texas Tech had a 605-258 advantage in total offense and a 29-10 margin in first downs in the win against Murray State. QB Donovan Smith came off the bench to throw four touchdown passes after QB Tyler Shough left with a collarbone injury. Shough is expected to be out three to six weeks. WR Jerand Bradley had six catches for 108 yards and two touchdowns against Murray State.
Last Time Houston and Tech Met
Lately, the series has heavily favored Tech, which has won four-straight in the series and nine of the last 10 meetings, including a come-from-behind 38-21 victory a year ago to start the 2021 campaign at the Texas Kickoff in NRG Stadium. The Red Raiders rallied behind four takeaways and 134 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground from Tahj Brooks to score 31-unanswered points to erase a 21-7 halftime deficit in the win.
TV and Kickoff Information
No. 25 Houston at Texas Tech is slated for a 3 p.m. CT, 2 p.m. ET kickoff on Saturday, and the game from Jones AT&T Stadium will be broadcast nationally on FS1.
