The Texas Tech Red Raiders take on the Houston Cougars in Houston, Texas. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Texas Tech is favored by -11 points on the spread with a moneyline of -450. The total is set at 51.5 points.
Here’s my Texas Tech vs. Houston predictions and college football picks for Saturday, October 4, 2025.
Texas Tech vs Houston Prediction
- Texas Tech vs. Houston Pick: Houston -11
My Houston vs. Texas Tech best bet is on the Cougars to cover the spread. Find the best line available on our live NCAAF odds page.
Texas Tech vs Houston Odds
| Texas Tech Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-11 -110 | 51.5 -115o / -105u | -450 |
| Houston Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+11 -110 | 51.5 -115o / -105u | +350 |
- Texas Tech vs Houston point spread: Texas Tech -11
- Texas Tech vs Houston over/under: 51.5 points
- Texas Tech vs Houston moneyline: Texas Tech -450, Houston +350
Texas Tech vs Houston Preview
Texas Tech Red Raiders Betting Preview: Defense Continues to Look Strong
The team to beat in the Big 12 is the Texas Tech Red Raiders.
Head coach Joey McGuire and his staff went to work in the transfer portal, spending over $12 million to secure 21 high-caliber transfers, including elite defensive linemen like Stanford’s David Bailey.
The transfer class ranked second nationally and was by far the best haul of any team in the conference.
That influx of talent is already paying dividends, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. A program that's so often been the butt of jokes about defense being optional has a swarming unit in 2025.
The Red Raiders haven't surrendered more than 14 points in a game so far this season and absolutely stifled Utah in its most recent outing in Salt Lake City.
They've already forced eight turnovers for the year and have been able to generate pressure consistently with just the front four.
In addition to all the newcomers, Tech brought back a good bit of experience on the offensive side of the ball. That includes veteran quarterback Behren Morton, who's been through the battles of the Big 12, as well as Coy Eakin and Micah Hudson, two of his more reliable pass-catchers.
Morton got banged up in the Utah game, and backup Will Hammond was very effective in relief. Hammond saw a good bit of time last year, and there are some that believe he may actually give Tech a bit more upside.
It sounds like Morton will be back starting in Houston, but regardless of who's the signal-caller against the Cougars, the Red Raiders' attack should keep humming along.
Texas Tech has an opportunity on Saturday to grab its second Big 12 road win and move to 5-0 on the year.
Coming off a bye week, McGuire's team should be fully focused for this one.
Houston Cougars Betting Preview: QB Weigman Stays Strong
Willie Fritz has turned around programs throughout his coaching career, and he appears well on his way to doing that again at Houston.
The Cougars are off to a 4-0 start, thanks to a miraculous 14-point fourth quarter comeback at Oregon State last week. They also beat Colorado at home earlier in the year to kick off the Big 12 campaign with a victory.
Things get more difficult now, as they play host to one of the teams to beat in the conference in Texas Tech.
The good news: It's at home and at primetime, and Texas A&M transfer quarterback Conner Weigman continues to look the part at his new school.
Weigman has only thrown one interception for the year and has a passer rating of 144.6 through four games.
Running back Dean Connors has been a nice addition from Rice and gives the Cougars a power back that can pick up the key yards in the trenches.
Texas Tech will present challenges that the Houston offense hasn't faced to this point, so it'll be very interesting to see how it reacts to facing some potential adversity early on in this matchup.
When Texas Tech has the ball, look for defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong to try to dial up some pressure to get after Morton, who sometimes struggles when he's hurried.
It's also imperative for the Houston to force a turnover or two in this one and stiffen in the red zone. Tech will find its fair share of chunk plays, so for the Cougars to have a chance to pull off the upset, takeaways and holding Tech to field goal attempts will really matter.
Texas Tech vs Houston Pick, Betting Analysis
There should be a great atmosphere inside TDECU stadium for this one, especially given it'll be the only game on Saturday pitting two undefeated teams against each other.
While their records are the same, there's a difference in talent between these two rosters.
I was bullish on the Red Raiders to begin the year, and I think this team has a very high ceiling.
Houston may be able to hang around early, but I expect the transformed Red Raiders defense to continue to wreak havoc and put the Cougars in some difficult situations.
Tech should also be able to hit some big plays down the field against a vulnerable Cougar secondary.
Give me the Red Raiders to pull away as the game goes on, winning and covering on the road in the process.
Pick: Texas Tech -11
