7:05 pm
September 4

Texas Tech @ Houston

Who will WIN this matchup?

Texas Tech Red Raiders

@ Houston Cougars

 

Current odds:

Texas Tech Red Raiders: (+115)

Houston Cougars: (-135)

 

• The spread for the game is Houston by 2.5 points.

• Two old conference foes who could wind up being league opponents again are set to get the new season rolling Saturday on the national stage with plenty of storylines in tow. The two old Southwest Conference foes are among a group of teams somewhat in limbo after the bombshell news that Texas and Oklahoma are leaving the Big 12 Conference for the SEC.

• The Red Raiders have been slightly better under Wells, going 4-8 in 2019, 4-6 in 2020. But this will be a new-look team in a lot of ways with 20 transfers and a Big 12-leading 12 super seniors, those players who are taking advantage of the NCAA’s decision to give them another year after 2020 was derailed by COVID. Tyler Shough made the move to Lubbock after starting all seven games last season for Oregon and passing for 1,559 yards and 13 touchdowns. He is the front-runner of arguably the deepest collection of passers the Red Raiders have had since Patrick Mahomes left after his junior season in 2016.

• Shough has company in the group of newcomers. Left tackle T.J. Storment was an All-Big 12 player at TCU. Receiver Kaylon Geiger is in scarlet and black after catching 141 passes and scoring eight touchdowns at Troy, and safety Marquis “Muddy” Waters started 35 games in four seasons at Duke.

• While Houston didn’t load up as much in the transfer market, the Cougars are also leaning on a veteran quarterback to engineer Holgorsen’s version of the Air Raid offense. Clayton Tune passed for 2,048 yards and 15 scores in eight games last fall.

4/10
Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick
Texas Tech Red Raiders
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