Texas Tech embraces Public Enemy No. 1 persona in gutsy win over old foe Houston

Texas Tech rode a late, inches-separated sequence to escape Houston 28-26 in a thriller at Lubbock, sealing a home game for a crowd of 60,229. Conner Weigman’s desperate lunge at the goal line with 49 seconds left fell short of a potential overtime tie, and Texas Tech held on. The win came after Houston jumped to a 10-0 lead following a second-quarter interception that preceded a deep aerial mistake at quarterback. Texas Tech had also struggled earlier this season with defensive lapses, allowing more than 400 yards for the second straight week. Still, Joey McGuire leaned into the “most hated team in the country” persona, thanking an ESPN talking head and former coach Rick Neuheisel for picking Houston. The Red Raiders had a dramatic, season-long edge in perception, matched by a comeback performance in the fourth quarter.