Houston and Texas Tech are in the midst of an emerging rivalry. As the Cougars head to Lubbock for the first time since 2018, this game is sure to feature high emotions. But the Red Raiders are looking to capitalize on the high stakes and knock off a ranked opponent early in the season.
Here are five things Texas Tech fans need to know about Houston:
A familiar foe
Despite being in different conferences — for now — Texas Tech and Houston have gotten to know each other very fell over the years. This will be the sixth matchup between the two programs since 2009. The Red Raiders have won four straight matchups against the Cougars. Houston head coach Dana Holgorsen is 5-3 against Texas Tech, where he was previously an offensive coordinator.
A familiar face
Texas Tech made a statement in NRG Stadium last season, when it picked up a 38-21 win over Houston. While the Red Raiders’ running game was impressive that night, the hallmark performance was by the defense. Texas Tech intercepted four passes by Houston quarterback Clayton Tune. The senior is back at the helm for the Cougars this year, and he began his 2022 campaign on an impressive note. Tune completed 22-of-32 passes against UTSA last week, generating 206 passing yards and three touchdowns. He added 51 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
The trenches
Texas Tech’s pass rush was one of the biggest keys to victory against Houston last season. The Red Raiders tallied four sacks against the Cougars, disrupting any flow within the passing game. That’s an area Texas Tech could capitalize on once again. The Red Raiders put together a four-sack performance against Murray State last week, while Houston gave up four sacks against UTSA. It seemed that the secondary would be the highlight of this Texas Tech defense, but it looks like it may be the pass rush.
Dangerous Dell
The Texas Tech secondary had a forgettable performance in Week 1 against Murray State. They’ll need to shake the dust off their feet before this contest, as Houston has a dangerous weapon on the outside. Nathaniel Dell was a headache for the Red Raiders last season, catching seven passes for 80 yards and a touchdown against Texas Tech. He’s started 2022 on the right foot as well, tallying 50 receiving yards and two touchdowns on five receptions. Dell has good hands and smart feet. The Red Raiders will need to do anything possible to disrupt his rhythm.
If the #Bears want to prioritize speed at WR, they should consider Houston’s Nathaniel Dell in the 2023 draft.
Insane burst out of the slot with 4.3 deep speed and great YAC ability. Love him in that Round 3-4 range right now. pic.twitter.com/kqdhTgWLfu
— Jacob Infante (@jacobinfante24) September 3, 2022
Run game
Murray State provided a nice test for the Texas Tech run defense, as the Racers have a stout dual threat quarterback and explosive running back. But it would be difficult for any team to fully prepare what Houston throws at opponents in the run game. Last week, four different Cougars carried the ball at least six times. Houston picked up 140 yards on the ground against UTSA. An additional element of the Cougars’ run game is the running ability of Tune. While the run game is versatile, Houston isn’t always efficient. The Cougars averaged just 3.2 yards per carry against UTSA.
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