While both the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the Houston Cougars are 4-0 overall and 1-0 in Big 12 conference games so far, there’s only one common opponent that both of these teams have played. And interestingly enough, it’s not a team that is even remotely close to being from the Lone Star State.
Both the Red Raiders and the Cougars have had the distinct pleasure of meeting up with the Oregon State Beavers this season. And the games went in wildly different fashions. Both Houston and Texas Tech managed to beat the Beavers, but the Red Raiders did so in a much more convincing fashion.
So, what can we take away from this common foe for the Coogs and Texas Tech?
Joey McGuire addresses how both Texas Tech and Houston have played Oregon State and why that might not matter
There’s obviously a few things that the coaching staff for the Red Raiders can learn from that game that Houston played at Oregon State, but it’s just not going to be a one-for-one comparison for the game between the Red Raiders and the Beavers.
“I think it gives us some stuff to look at,” McGuire said during his press conference on Monday. “I think it’s a good game to watch as far as our players and coaches.”
As for what they should be watching?
“You know, [Houston] got down in a hurry and, like I said, it shows a lot, they have a really tight team,” McGuire said. “When you get down like that and you’re able to come back on the road and win that game the way they did, it says a lot about them.”
Of course, while there is the obvious similarity in that both the Red Raiders and the Cougars have played the Oregon State Beavers, there is additional context that needs to be discussed in full here if we’re going to actually talk about this game.
“Oregon State had to come [to Lubbock], they went to Oregon State,” McGuire added. “That was a late game, you never know.”
And that is all plenty of fair context to consider when looking at how the Cougars performed on the road against Oregon State. We’ve talked a little about that elsewhere, but it’s a good reminder to get from the head coach of the Red Raiders.