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Houston quarterback Conner Weigman (1) avoids pressures by Texas Tech defensive tackle Skyler Gill-Howard (0) during the first half of a NCAA college football game in Houston, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025.<\/p>\n
Jason Fochtman<\/p>\n
The\u00a0University of Houston<\/a> rolls into Lubbock as a touchdown underdog to No. 13 Texas Tech on Friday night<\/a>, but it\u2019s becoming something of a trendy upset pick.<\/p>\n In fact, the Red Raiders opened as 9 \u00bd-point favorites over No. 22 Houston, but that since has dropped to 7 \u00bd. The straight-up upset vibes are beginning to pick up steam, including on the set of CBS\u00a0Sports Network\u2019s \u201cInside College Football Show\u201d<\/a> where all four of the show\u2019s experts, including former college coaches Brian Kelly and Rick Neuheisel, picked the Cougars to win.<\/p>\n Kelly, who is in his first year as a TV analyst after getting fired by LSU last year, praised UH quarterback Conner Weigman<\/a>, who helped Texas A&M beat Kelly\u2019s LSU team twice before he transferred to Houston following the 2024 season.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cI really\u00a0like Conner Weigman, his maturation as a quarterback,\u201d Kelly said. \u201cI saw him when I was at LSU when he was at A&M. Big, physical player. Obviously,\u00a0they have a running game as well. I think their balance\u00a0is enough that they could go in there and come up with a big victory.\u201d<\/p>\n Neuheisel, who was the head coach at Colorado, Washington and UCLA, compared Weigman to another Aggies transfer in Haynes King<\/a>, who went on to have a successful career at Georgia Tech and now is the backup with the Carolina Panthers. There also is some concern with Texas Tech quarterback Will Hammond, who has thrown for just two touchdowns in his first two games back from last year\u2019s ACL injury.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s going to put them on his shoulders and he\u2019s going to carry them,\u201d Neuheisel said of Weigman. \u201cHe\u2019s got the ability with his legs. He\u2019s a competitive son of a gun and I think right now, listen Will Hammond is trying to get back and he\u2019s had some moments, but he\u2019s not consistent right now. I\u2019m going to go with Houston and Willie Fritz to get it done on the road.\u201d<\/p>\n Former Notre Dame offensive lineman Aaron Taylor, who won a Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers, is more concerned with a Texas Tech defense that gave up 417 passing yards to Oregon State last week in a game the Red Raiders trailed midway through the fourth quarter before coming back to win on the road 35-24<\/a>. A week earlier, Houston gave up 376 passing yards to the Beavers in a 33-20 win at home<\/a>.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cI think Houston\u2019s going to win this game,\u201d Taylor said. \u201cI\u2019m kind of going back and forth about it, because we all sat there on the set Saturday and watched Texas Tech get lit up on the back end \u2026 This Texas Tech team isn\u2019t as good as the one we saw last year. I think Houston gets them.\u201d<\/p>\n Brian Jones, who grew up in Lubbock but played linebacker at Texas before spending four seasons in the NFL,\u00a0raved about the Houston offense, specifically pointing out explosive skill position players in running back Makhi Hughes<\/a> and receivers Amare Thomas<\/a> and Koby Young<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is going to\u00a0be a good test for Texas Tech\u2019s defense, which still is pretty sturdy as far as stopping the run. It\u2019s the back end that worries me,\u201d Jones said. \u201cI\u2019m going to go with an upset. I\u2019m going to take the Coogs.\u201d<\/p>\n Before moving on, Adam Zucker, the show\u2019s host, made sure none of potential nasty feedback from Lubbock would be directed at him.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n