Houston-Texas Tech Has Something College Football Hasn't Seen in Decades
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Houston and Texas Tech are both entering this game ranked, with the Cougars being at No. 22 and the Red Raiders at No. 13.
1989 was the last year both teams faced each other while ranked.
Here is the last time this happened and the series record between the two teams.
A Historic Matchup
Houston leads the all-time series 18-17-1. The last time both teams met while in the rankings was in 1989, when Heisman quarterback Andre Ware and the No. 13 Cougars beat No. 20 Texas Tech 40-24. In that season, Houston went 9-2 overall and 6-2 in the Southwest Conference.
Texas Tech has won seven straight games against Houston and the last 12 out of 14. The Red Raiders won the last two meetings by 21 and 24 points, most recently at TDECU Stadium, where they won 35-11. They also went on to win the Big 12 Championship game against No. 11 BYU, 34-7.
Houston hasn't beaten Texas Tech since 2009. However, there is a trend that favors the Cougars. Houston has won the last five meetings against the Red Raiders when it has been ranked.
Houston also puts the nation's longest road winning streak at risk, according to Houston Athletics. The Cougars have had a strong running game over the past two weeks.
The Cougars rushed for 388 yards against Southern and 228 yards against Oregon State in their season opener. Quarterback Conner Weigman threw for 305 yards and a touchdown against the Beavers.
Houston has a passing game with reliable receivers. Wide receiver Amare Thomas had 133 yards and a touchdown in Week 1, while Koby Young had catches over 40 yards in both games.
The Red Raiders' passing game has been efficient but not that explosive. Quarterback Will Hammond threw for 298 yards against Abilene Christian and 189 yards against Oregon State.
The Cougars' secondary struggled in the season opener. It allowed Oregon State quarterback Braden Atkinson to throw for 376 yards. Houston has to be on point and limit the number of mistakes it makes or Texas Tech could capitalize on them.
The Red Raiders are favorites with a 75.7% chance of winning, according to ESPN, while Houston sits at 24.3%.
A win for Houston puts it at 3-0 on the season and gives it an early edge in the Big 12 title race. It would also mark Houston's first win over a ranked Red Raiders team since 1989.
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Micah Clay is a staff writer for the Houston Cougars on SI. He is currently a freshman at the University of Houston and majoring in Sports Administration. He also works for The Cougar organization. You can find Clay on his Instagram(@mcjosh_btw_podcast)