Houston did almost everything you're supposed to do to win a road game against a ranked team. The Cougars jumped out 10-0 in Lubbock, led at halftime, and got a clean, mistake-free night from their quarterback. They still lost 28-26, because in the final minute Conner Weigman came up inches short on a game-tying two-point conversion, a stop that Big 12 replay reviewed and confirmed.
With 49 seconds left, Houston went for the tie and got stopped at the goal line. No flag, no reversal, just a defense that held when it had to.
This one should sting in Houston, because the Cougars had built their identity on exactly this situation. They'd won their last 12 games when holding a double-digit lead and their last 12 when leading at halftime. Both streaks ended Friday night. Own the lead, own halftime, and still lose. That's getting outplayed after the break, not bad luck.
Weigman deserves better than to be remembered for one inches-short conversion attempt. He went 27 of 38 for 282 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. Amare Thomas caught seven for 75 and a score. Koby Young had the highlight of the first half, an over-the-shoulder 46-yard touchdown grab that put Houston up 17-14. Houston's defense forced two interceptions, from Jalen Mayo and Will James, and Jaden Yates piled up eight tackles with a sack. You can win a lot of football with that kind of day.
Give Texas Tech its due, though, because the Red Raiders are turning close games into a habit. They fell behind 10-0 and never blinked. Will Hammond took over after backup Thomas Castellanos made a surprise start and threw an interception to Will James on his very first snap, and Hammond steadied things, finishing 17 of 27 for 257 yards. Kenny Johnson went for 113 yards on four catches with a 35-yard touchdown. Cameron Dickey punched in a one-yard score to make it 28-20. Then the defense made the one stop that decided the night.
Texas Tech is 14-5 in one-possession games under Joey McGuire and has now beaten Houston eight straight times. That's a program that keeps finding a way in the moments Houston used to own, not a fluke.
The polls read the game the way I do. Texas Tech climbed to No. 11 in the AP poll and cracked the Coaches top 10 at No. 10. Houston slipped to No. 25 in the AP and fell out of the Coaches poll entirely. That split feels about right: the loser earned a little credit for taking a top-15 team to the wire on the road, and the winner earned the ranking.
Houston is good enough to make the Big 12 race interesting. It just learned that being good enough doesn't count for much if you can't close. Inches decided this game.
