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Texas Tech collared UH and Conner Weigman last season in Houston. The teams meet on Friday in Lubbock.<\/p>\n
Jason Fochtman\/Jason Fochtman \/ Houston Chronicle<\/p>\n
LUBBOCK\u00a0\u2014 The talent gap is shrinking in the Big 12.<\/p>\n
Three weeks into the season, the Texas Tech<\/a> coach can look around college football and \u201cfind teams that impress you.\u201d Texas staged an epic comeback to beat top-ranked Ohio State. Defending national champion Indiana continues to roll. LSU and Miami have delivered strong starts.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n One other team has caught McGuire\u2019s attention.<\/p>\n \u201cI think Houston is the best team we\u2019ve played in the last two years, maybe minus Oregon that day (in the College Football Playoff),\u201d McGuire said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Ahead of Friday night\u2019s Top 25 showdown on the South Plains, McGuire heaped praise on the Cougars, an emerging Big 12 contender that he feels deserves far more attention.<\/p>\n The No. 22 Cougars (2-0)<\/a> can make an early statement in the Big 12 opener against the No. 13 Red Raiders at Galaxy Stadium. It\u2019s the first meeting in which both teams are ranked since 1989.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cFor some reason, they don\u2019t get enough credit,\u201d McGuire said. \u201cFor whatever reason people don\u2019t talk about Houston, and they should.\u201d<\/p>\n UH has made significant gains since going 4-8 in each of its first two Big 12 seasons. Last season\u2019s 10-win breakthrough\u00a0\u2014 combined with the return of several prominent players\u00a0\u2014 has catapulted the Cougars into the discussion among teams capable of dethroning the defending conference champions.<\/p>\n \u201cMan, Houston jumps off the page with the effort they are playing with,\u201d McGuire said.\u00a0<\/p>\n McGuire pointed to UH coach Willie Fritz\u2019s reputation as a program builder: \u201cEverywhere he\u2019s gone, he\u2019s won.\u201d He noted offensive coordinator Slade Nagle\u2019s long history with Fritz and called defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong \u201cyoung and innovative.\u201d<\/p>\n McGuire also has been impressed with UH\u2019s roster construction, including the signing of quarterback Keisean Henderson, the No. 1 recruit in 2026. The Cougars\u2019 transfer portal class was ranked No. 6 nationally by On3 (Tech was No. 4) and included running back Makhi Hughes and preseason All-American left guard Shadre Hurst.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cThey got the right guys in,\u201d McGuire said.\u00a0<\/p>\n UH also returned the core of a team that entered November still in contention for a spot in the Big 12 championship game before home losses to TCU and West Virginia.<\/p>\n