No. 22 Houston vs No. 13 Texas Tech: How to Watch, Odds, Injuries and More - Sports Illustrated

That 1989 meeting happened in the Astrodome, and Houston won it 40-24. This time the game comes to Texas Tech's home turf, with the Red Raiders sitting one spot below their visitors in the national pecking order. Houston reached No. 22 with a 77-6 rout of Southern in Week 2, marking the Cougars' first road test of the season.

For Texas Tech, the stakes go beyond bragging rights. A Big 12 opener against a ranked opponent carries real weight for the conference championship race, and Lubbock rarely gets an early-season measuring stick like this. Fans filling the stands know it isn't just another nonconference tune-up. Both programs enter with something to prove, and the winner grabs early momentum in a league where every game matters by December.