Houston Falls Inches Short in 28–26 Thriller Against Texas Tech
No. 22 Houston came within inches of forcing overtime before No. 13 Texas Tech stopped a late two-point conversion and held on for a 28–26 Big 12 victory. The post Houston Falls Inches Short in 28–26 Thriller Against Texas Tech appeared first on African American News and Issues.
Black News 
LUBBOCK, Texas — The University of Houston came within inches of forcing overtime Friday night before No. 13 Texas Tech stopped a two-point conversion and escaped with a 28–26 victory over the No. 22 Cougars in their Big 12 opener.
Houston quarterback Conner Weigman connected with tight end Patrick Overmyer for a 10-yard touchdown with less than a minute remaining, cutting the deficit to two. On the conversion attempt, Weigman kept the ball and drove toward the goal line, but Texas Tech linebacker Austin Romaine stopped him just short. A replay review upheld the ruling.
According to The Associated Press, Houston built an early 10–0 lead and carried a 17–14 advantage into halftime. The Cougars moved the ball effectively but missed opportunities to turn red-zone possessions into touchdowns, leaving the door open for the defending Big 12 champions.
Texas Tech responded after halftime with rushing touchdowns from J’Koby Williams and Cameron Dickey. Red Raiders quarterback Will Hammond finished with 257 passing yards and a touchdown, while Kenny Johnson caught four passes for 113 yards and a score.
Weigman threw for 282 yards and three touchdowns for Houston. The Cougars intercepted Texas Tech twice and produced a late scoring drive that put them one play away from tying the game, but penalties and stalled drives proved costly in front of 60,229 fans at Galaxy Stadium.
Houston coach Willie Fritz said after the game that the Cougars had opportunities they failed to convert, according to the Houston Chronicle. The close finish nevertheless showed that Houston could compete with one of the Big 12’s top-ranked teams.
The loss dropped Houston to 2–1 overall and 0–1 in conference play. Texas Tech remained unbeaten and extended its winning streak against the Cougars to eight games, according to Reuters.
For Houston, the result will be remembered as a painful near miss. The Cougars led early, fought back late and were separated from a possible overtime period by only a few inches at the goal line.
Sources: The Associated Press, Reuters and the Houston Chronicle, Sept. 18–19, 2026.
The post Houston Falls Inches Short in 28–26 Thriller Against Texas Tech appeared first on African American News and Issues.
