Texas Tech Defense Faces Surging Sam Houston Offense Saturday
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
Texas Tech survived Houston. Now the Red Raiders have to make sure they don’t sleepwalk into a completely different offensive challenge.
No. 13 Texas Tech hosts Sam Houston Saturday at 11 a.m. CT at Galaxy Stadium, and the most interesting matchup may be a Red Raiders defense coming off its shakiest performance against a Bearkats offense that just exploded for 619 yards.
MORE: Texas Tech Begins 2027 Recruiting Class with 4-Star PG Commit
Sam Houston quarterback Landyn Locke shredded Nicholls in Saturday’s 59-0 victory, throwing for 322 yards and four touchdowns. The Bearkats finished with 386 passing yards, 233 rushing yards and averaged 8.3 yards per play.
That wasn't simply one good afternoon.
Through three games, Sam Houston is averaging 454.3 total yards and 345.7 passing yards per game. Bearkats quarterbacks have completed 67.3 percent of their passes for 1,037 yards, 10 touchdowns and only one interception.
That should get Texas Tech's attention.
The Red Raiders remain strong against the run, surrendering only 102 rushing yards per game and no rushing touchdowns through three contests.
But their pass defense has been much less dominant, allowing 272.7 yards per game and six touchdowns through the air.
Houston exposed some of those concerns Friday night.
Conner Weigman completed 27 of 38 passes for 282 yards and three touchdowns, and the Cougars rolled up 458 total yards despite losing 28-26.
Texas Tech allowed Houston to convert nine of 15 third downs, an area defensive coordinator Shiel Wood will undoubtedly want cleaned up.
There were positives.
Linebackers Ben Roberts and Austin Romaine continue to provide experience in the middle, while Adam Trick produced a strip-sack against Houston.
Texas Tech has now forced at least one turnover in 10 consecutive games dating to last season.
The defense also received an important reinforcement when Trey White made his Texas Tech debut against Houston after missing the first two games because of injury.
The reigning Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year gives the Red Raiders another disruptive presence up front.
As of Monday, neither program had publicly announced a major new injury stemming from the weekend, although game-week availability can change as practices begin. Texas Tech's official Sam Houston injury updates had not yet been posted.
MORE: Patrick Mahomes Leads Strong NFL Week For Ex Texas Tech Stars
Sam Houston enters Lubbock only 1-2, but Locke and the passing game make the Bearkats considerably more dangerous than that record suggests.
For Texas Tech, Saturday is less about surviving another shootout and more about showing that Friday’s defensive problems were an exception rather than the start of a trend.
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos