The No. 11 Texas Tech Red Raiders held off a gritty Houston Cougars squad on Saturday night, securing a 31-24 victory at TDECU Stadium that kept their undefeated streak alive at 5-0. It was a game that started with promise for the home team, but the Red Raiders' explosive offense, led by quarterback Behren Morton, proved too much in the end. Morton, fresh off clearing concussion protocol, threw for 285 yards and three touchdowns, though not without a couple of those shaky moments that had fans holding their breath.
Houston, under first-year coach Willie Fritz, came in riding high at 4-0, their defense looking sharp early on. The Cougars struck first with a field goal, and for a stretch in the second quarter, it felt like they might pull off the upset. Fritz's squad forced two turnovers, including a pick that had the crowd roaring. However, Texas Tech responded with a quick scoring drive, Morton's arm connecting on a 45-yard bomb that shifted the momentum. Indeed, the Red Raiders pulled away in the third, adding two more scores before Houston mounted a late comeback that fell just short.
Moreover, the game highlighted some vulnerabilities for both sides. Texas Tech's run game sputtered at times, managing only 112 yards on the ground, while Houston's passing attack struggled without much rhythm—QB Zeon Chriss finished with 210 yards but two interceptions. Fritz praised his team's fight post-game, noting how close they were to flipping the script. For Tech, it's another win in a schedule that's already featured a big one over Utah, but questions linger about depth as Big 12 play heats up.
Attendance topped 38,000, a solid turnout for a night game in Houston, where the humidity didn't help matters. Morton spoke briefly afterward, crediting the line for giving him time, though he admitted the Houston secondary tested him more than expected.
In the broader picture, this result solidifies Texas Tech's spot in the rankings, but Houston's resilience under Fritz suggests they're building something worth watching. What does this mean for the rest of the conference race?