The Texas Tech football team will face the University of Houston this weekend looking to continue a streak of success against the Cougars that has been going on for almost three decades.
It is always fun when former Southwest Conference rivals square off as will be the case this weekend when the Texas Tech football program takes on Houston for 31st time. And if Texas Tech can pull out a victory, it will be a continuation of dominance over UH that has stretched back to the 1990’s.
Overall, Houston leads the series 18-12-1. The teams first met in 1951, a 6-0 win at Houston. After jumping out to a 7-4 series lead in the first 11 games, the Cougars rattled off seven-consecutive wins from 1979-1985.
Tech would end that streak in 1986 with a huge 34-7 win in Lubbock. The next season’s matchup would end in a 10-10 tie in Houston.
After three more wins by the Cougars from 1987-1990, the tide in the series would turn. Since 1991, Texas Tech has won seven of the last eight meetings in the series.
Of course, the one loss during that stretch was the rather infamous 29-28 game at Houston in 2009. Questionable in-game calls from Mike Leach frustrated many fans and following the game, Texas Tech star offensive linemen Brandon Carter’s outburst in the locker room led to a one-game team imposed suspension.
This series, featuring two teams that have traditionally been two of the more high-octane offenses in the nation, has not disappointed on the scoreboard. Since 1988, the winning team has topped 30 points in nine of the eleven contests.
Of course, one of the two times that did not happen was last year when Tech won 27-24. But if this year’s game is a high, scoring affair, do not be surprised despite the strong defenses of both teams. Since 1988, five games in this series have featured more than 60 combined points.