Houston Cougars football coach Willie Fritz has finally got the ball rolling in the Space City in 2025, matching his win total from last season and giving UH its best start on the gridiron since the 2016 season. A 4-0 start may not have much of a chance to turn into 5-0 with the Texas Tech Red Raiders coming to town this weekend, though.
The Athletic’s Dan Santaromita doesn’t have Texas Tech on upset alert this Saturday, holding against Houston that the Cougs’ best win is a 36-20 home triumph over the Colorado Buffaloes in Week 3.
CU is 2-3, having only defeated two Group of 5 foes, the Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens and Wyoming Cowboys. Meanwhile, UH’s other wins came against the Oregon State Beavers, Rice Owls, and Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks.
“Tech is favored by double digits, with the betting market showing confidence in the Red Raiders’ strong start and skepticism about Houston. The Cougars’ best win is probably Colorado, which is only 2-3. Last week, Houston needed overtime to win at 0-5 Oregon State,” Santaromita wrote.
“The Red Raiders are coming off a bye and are seeking their first 5-0 start since 2013, which was Kliff Kingsbury’s first season in Lubbock (!) and when Baker Mayfield (!!) was sharing time at quarterback with Davis Webb.
“If the spread is to be trusted, Tech might not be on full upset watch…”
Of course, spreads are not often to be trusted. Per ESPN’s Pamela Maldonado, underdogs are 125-120-1 against the spread but just 60-186 outright this season.
After $55 million in NIL-related spending this offseason, Texas Tech is a different kind of favorite in the Big 12. Head coach Joey McGuire is looking to take the Red Raiders to the next level, and AD Kirby Hocutt has financially supported him every step of the way. Texas Tech has a roster that stacks up against the upper echelon, if not the elites like the Ohio State Buckeyes and Oregon Ducks.
Fritz and Co. might soon find that out firsthand. Luckily for Houston, though, the Arizona State Sun Devils and TCU Horned Frogs loom as the only other two opponents on the Cougars’ schedule who’ve been ranked at any point for the rest of the season.