Texas Tech held off No. 22 Houston 28-26 in its Big 12 opener, using a late goal-line stop to preserve the victory. The No. 13 Red Raiders improved to 3-0 overall and 1-0 in conference play.
Houston built a 10-0 lead early at Galaxy Stadium, while Texas Tech struggled to generate momentum on offense and had difficulty defensively during the opening stretch. The Red Raiders later produced a stronger defensive performance and stopped quarterback Conner Weigman and the Cougars near the goal line.
Coach Joey McGuire pointed to improved health on defense as an important part of the team's progress. Defensive end Trey White made his Texas Tech debut after transferring from San Diego State and returning from a knee injury. White recorded a sack of Weigman, while Miami (Ohio) transfer Adam Trick had two sacks and returning All-American A.J. Holmes Jr. added another.
Veteran defensive back Brenden Jordan also returned after missing Texas Tech's first two games because of an internal rules violation. McGuire said the contributions from White and Jordan were significant as the team works to replace multiple defensive starters from last season who moved to the NFL.
McGuire said White was not completely healthy and may have played more than the coaching staff expected. Asked whether this year's defense could match the 2025 unit, he requested two more games before answering and said he wanted to see White fully healthy and Jordan back in the lineup. McGuire said the team is still developing in several areas but believes it will continue improving.
