Texas Tech held off No. 22 Houston, 28-26, to begin Big 12 play with a victory and remain unbeaten at 3-0. The No. 13 Red Raiders secured the result with a goal-line stand against Houston quarterback Conner Weigman.
Houston built a 10-0 lead early, while Texas Tech's offense also struggled to start the game. The Red Raiders recovered and finished with a win in the conference opener at Galaxy Stadium.
Coach Joey McGuire said the defense's improving health was an important part of the team's performance. Defensive end Trey White made his Texas Tech debut after transferring from San Diego State and returning from a knee injury. He recorded a second-half sack of Weigman.
The defensive line also produced two sacks from Miami (Ohio) transfer Adam Trick and one from returning All-American A.J. Holmes Jr. Veteran defensive back Brenden Jordan returned after missing the first two games because of an internal rules violation.
McGuire said White and Jordan had major effects on the game as Texas Tech works to replace defensive starters who moved to the NFL after last season. White was not fully healthy, McGuire said, and may have played more snaps than expected.
Asked whether this year's defense could match the 2025 unit, McGuire said, "Give me two more games," while referring to the time needed for White and Jordan to be fully available.
