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Texas Tech quarterback Will Hammond drops back to throw the ball against Houston during the first half of an NCAA college football game Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, in Lubbock, Texas.<\/p>\n
Justin Rex\/AP Photo\/Justin Rex<\/p>\n
Texas Tech running back Cameron Dickey (8) runs the ball against Houston during the first half of an NCAA college football game Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, in Lubbock, Texas.<\/p>\n
Justin Rex\/AP Photo\/Justin Rex<\/p>\n
Houston quarterback Conner Weigman (1) leaps out of bounds after running the ball against Texas Tech during the first half of an NCAA college football game Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, in Lubbock, Texas.<\/p>\n
Justin Rex\/AP Photo\/Justin Rex<\/p>\n
Houston linebacker Sione Fotu (12) tackles Texas Tech running back Cameron Dickey, left, during the first half of an NCAA college football game Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, in Lubbock, Texas.<\/p>\n
Justin Rex\/AP Photo\/Justin Rex<\/p>\n
Texas Tech linebacker Corey Platt Jr., left, tackles Houston tight end Patrick Overmyer (9) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, in Lubbock, Texas.<\/p>\n
Justin Rex\/AP Photo\/Justin Rex<\/p>\n
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) \u2014 J’Koby Williams and Cameron Dickey ran for second-half touchdowns and defending Big 12 champion No. 13 Texas Tech held on for a 28-26 victory Friday night when Houston quarterback Conner Weigman came up just short of a 2-point conversion in the final minute.<\/p>\n
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Weigman’s third TD pass, a 10-yarder to Patrick Overmyer with 49 seconds left, gave the Cougars (2-1, 0-1) a chance to tie in the conference opener for both teams. On the try for 2, Weigman took off to the left and lunged forward with the ball extended, though his knee came down before the ball broke the plane of the end zone.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThere\u2019s no moral victories,\u201d Houston coach Willie Fritz said. \u201cWe came here to win. And we didn\u2019t win.\u201d<\/p>\n
The audience viewing on Fox Sports was able to watch and listen to the Big 12 replay officials at the conference headquarters reviewing and discussing that play before ruling that Weigman was short. That was one of several replays on which viewers got an inside look.<\/p>\n
Will Hammond was 17-of-27 passing for 257 yards and a touchdown for the Red Raiders (3-0, 1-0), who were down 10-0 and had only one offensive snap 9 1\/2 minutes into their first Friday home game since 1941.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt just shows the resilience of this team and the belief they have in each other. There was never a time that those guys got down. They just kept fighting,\u201d Tech coach Joey McGuire said. \u201cI just continue to believe that as the season goes, we\u2019ll keep getting better and better again.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Weigman finished 27 of 38 for 282 yards.<\/p>\n
After only two carries for 5 yards before halftime, Williams had consecutive runs of 19, 5 and 29 yards \u2014 the last a burst through the left side and pretty much untouched to the end zone to make it 21-17 only 2 1\/2 minutes into the second half. Dickey had a 1-yard scoring run with 7:36 left.<\/p>\n
Houston led 17-14 just before halftime after Koby Young made an over-the-shoulder catch<\/a> and pinned the ball against his shoulder pads while falling over the pylon for a 46-yard touchdown.<\/p>\n Hammond had a 28-yard pass to Kenny Johnson to convert third-and-12 before they also hooked up for a 35-yard touchdown<\/a> a minute into the second quarter. Johnson finished with four catches for 113 yards.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n After a field goal on the game’s opening drive, the Cougars immediately got the ball back on Will James\u2019 nifty interception<\/a> along the sideline when Tommy Castellanos, who started instead of Hammond, was trying to throw away the ball while under pressure.<\/p>\n