Texas Tech held off No. 22 Houston, 28-26, in the teams’ Big 12 opener, moving the No. 13 Red Raiders to 3-0 overall and 1-0 in conference play. Houston quarterback Conner Weigman and the Cougars reached the area near the goal line late but were unable to score on their final possession.
Houston led 10-0 after Texas Tech struggled on both sides of the ball early. The Red Raiders improved defensively after halftime and overcame several long Houston drives. Adam Trick registered two sacks, while Trey White had one in his Texas Tech debut. White joined the team from San Diego State and was returning from a knee injury.
Defensive back Brenden Jordan also returned after sitting out the opening two games due to an internal rules violation. Coach Joey McGuire said White and Jordan provided important help as the team replaces defensive starters who went to the NFL. McGuire said White was not fully healthy and played more snaps than expected.
He said the defense is still developing and, when asked if it could equal the 2025 unit, replied, “Give me two more games.”
Texas Tech plays Sam Houston in its final nonconference game next week and will have an extra recovery day after the Friday-night game against Houston. Sports.yahoo.com published the report Sept. 20, 2026.
