This Will Be The Most Interesting Test On Houston’s Schedule

When the Cougars take on this team, it could be the game that gives them the most struggles.

Oct 4, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders quarterback Behren Morton (2) celebrates a Raiders touchdown against the Houston Cougars in the second half at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

Tests are hard to pass.

It’s one test and on to the next.

Houston faces 12 tests, each with a unique set of questions that must be solved to pass.

Head coach Willie Fritz will be studying and evaluating each of those opponents over the next several months who are slated to face his program, and he will want to finish with that perfect score. Which will be the most interesting one that the program will really hone in on?

Texas Tech

Houston coach Willie Fritz (left) | Aryanna Frank/Imagn Images

There are two games that open the season for Houston: Oregon State and Georgia Southern. If everything goes according to plan, going into week 3, it could be a 2-0 team heading into its first true road game of the season in Lubbock.

This is a pivotal weekend for the Cougars to get revenge for that 35-11 loss at TDECU Stadium, which dashed their hopes of reaching the Big 12 Championship Game in Arlington, Texas.

Texas Tech’s head coach, Joey McGuire, has done a phenomenal job recruiting players to play for him and bringing in highly recruited transfer stars who will shape the culture there. He lost several players to the NFL Draft and had one of the scariest defenses in college football. Keep in mind that he had an offense that could score points in a hurry.

A year ago, the Red Raiders were averaging 39.43 points per game, to go along with 146 rushing yards and 158 passing yards. The ground game averaged 4.6 yards per attempt while the pass game averaged 8.023 per game.

As for the Cougars, the offense averaged only 29.08 points per game, averaged 178.1 rushing yards, and 216.385 passing yards. Running the football, it averaged 4.2 per attempt, and in the air, there was an average of over 7.462 yards.

Quarterback Conner Weigman is returning for Houston, while questions remain about what Texas Tech will be doing. There are wide receivers like Amare Thomas, Koby Young, and Harvey Broussard who will pile up a ton of receptions, along with a running back rotation that will likely consist of Mahki Hughes and Re’Shaun Sanford.

For Texas Tech, their quarterback looks to be Will Hammond, who will work alongside Micah Hudson and Coy Eakin. On the other side of the ball, it looks like A.J. Holmes Jr., Mateen Ibirogba, Trey White, and Adam Trick are key pieces to shut down opposing offenses.  

The makeup of both teams has changed somewhat, so the look will change accordingly. Right now, signs point to Houston really needing a victory here to stamp itself as a serious contender.