Texas Tech vs. Sam Houston leads off the Week Four In-State College Football Games Previews and Predictions - Sports Illustrated

The matchup pits a West Texas program against an East Texas one separated by roughly 420 miles as the crow flies, or about 480 miles and eight-plus hours by car via U.S. Route 84 and I-45. That distance connects Lubbock to Huntsville, two ends of the state that rarely see each other outside moments like this. The last meeting between these programs came in 2015.

For Red Raider fans, the history offers a reason to feel good heading in. The scoring in that first matchup set a tone that lingers in conversations about the series. Neighbors who follow Tech football know blowouts and offensive fireworks are part of this particular rivalry's identity, even if the two schools do not share a conference or a region.

It is not a border battle. It is not a rivalry built on proximity. Two Texas programs, hundreds of miles apart, keep finding their way onto the same schedule, and so far Lubbock has come out on top every time.