For 37 long years, Texas Tech and Houston haven’t tangled with both teams ranked. That changes tonight, under the lights in Lubbock, Texas, and the stakes couldn’t be higher for Willie Fritz’s Cougars. This isn’t just another game, it’s a throwback to 1989, when former Houston quarterback Andre Ware snagged the Heisman Trophy while his games were totally blacked out from live TV due to NCAA sanctions. That 1989 squad still finished 10-2, by the way, and crushed No. 18 Texas Tech 40-24 in the Houston Astrodome. Tonight, a win for Fritz’s Cougars against the defending Big 12 champions means a whole different kind of reward, starting with the fact we can actually watch it on FOX at 8 p.m. ET.
The Breakthrough Moment For Fritz’s Cougars
This Houston program is looking for a breakthrough win, and tonight is their shot. The Cougars have a sweet trend going, too, winning four of their last five meetings with Texas Tech when both teams are ranked. Yeah, they lost the most recent one, but tonight feels different. A lot of us in the sports world are already whispering about the Cougars possibly earning their first-ever invitation to the College Football Playoff this year, right up there with programs like USC or Florida. If they can pull off an upset on the road, especially in Galaxy Stadium, which is one of the most hostile environments in the Big 12, then everyone’s going to start talking. The rest of their schedule opens up big time after this, too, because they won’t face another ranked opponent until October 24, when they travel to Utah, and they even avoid playing BYU this season.
McGuire’s Red Raiders Are No Joke
Willie Fritz is a winner, plain and simple. His resume speaks for itself: two junior college national titles, two FCS national title game appearances, leading Georgia Southern to a 9-3 record in its first-ever FBS season, and two American Conference Coach of the Year awards. Houston was a 10-win team just last season. But let’s be real, last year’s only real beating was a 35-11 smackdown by Joey McGuire’s Texas Tech. McGuire is a coaching legend in Texas, with a ridiculous 141-42 high school record between 2003 and 2016, including 12 straight playoff appearances and four state championships. He’s taken Texas Tech, a program that never won a Big 12 title or got a CFP invite, and delivered both by his fourth year. He’s smart, too, adapting to the modern game with NIL, the transfer portal, and aggressive recruiting to turn the Red Raiders into absolute contenders.
This Friday night in Texas is sacred, and a win for Houston isn’t just about knocking off the champs. It’s about a 10-win season being within reach again, and it’s about sending a message to the entire league that the Cougars are for real, and they might just crash the CFP party. Tonight, we find out.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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