Big 12 CFB: Texas Tech beats Houston 49-28

Texas Tech Football vs. Houston : Highlights | 2023

The Texas Tech Red Raiders secured a 49-28 victory against the Houston Cougars in the second Big 12 matchup on Saturday.

Texas Tech WR Drae McCray showed stellar performance in special teams, returning a kickoff for a 100-yard touchdown. This explosive play set the tone for the Red Raiders’ success in the game. Loic Fouonji also performed impressively, blocking a punt and scoring two touchdowns for Texas Tech.

“We’re riding some momentum right now with our return team,” Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire said. “I told them last night that it’s time to start being the team we think we are. We did a good job today. We’ve just got to build off today and go from there.”

Meanwhile, Houston coach Dana Holgorsen blamed fatigue for his team’s loss, acknowledging that the opposing team had extensive experience playing Power Five football and several physically imposing players.

He also pointed out that skilled coaches were on the opposing team, and the Cougars’ challenges arose from the aggressive style of play rather than strategic issues.

“They’ve [been] good for four years and four games,” Holgorsen said of the Red Raiders’ special team’s strategy.

Last week, Texas Tech lost 20-13 to West Virginia at its Big 12 opener. McCray’s 59-yard kickoff return was canceled due to a holding penalty right before halftime, preventing the Red Raiders from possibly scoring.

Texas Tech’s top performers

In the game, Texas Tech backup QB Behren Morton threw two TDs in his first start, filling in for the injured Tyler Shough, who suffered a broken leg in the loss at West Virginia.

Running backs Tahj Brooks and Cam’Ron Valdez led the Red Raiders’ rushing attack, each gaining 106 yards. Brooks scored two touchdowns, and Valdez sealed the win with a 41-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

Overall, the Red Raiders achieved a season-high 239 rushing yards, with 37 running plays against 22 pass attempts.