• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Texas Tech-Houston Preview

Sep 23, 2009 - 12:01 AM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

No. 7 Texas Tech (2-1) at Houston (2-0), 9:15 p.m. EDT

Houston and Texas Tech haven't met in nearly 14 years, since their days in the now-defunct Southwest Conference.

Both schools' high-powered offenses might just make up for all of that lost time Saturday night.

At a sold-out Robertson Stadium, the 17th-ranked Cougars will host the Red Raiders in what could be a thrilling duel between two of the nation's top passing teams.

College football in the state of Texas has long revolved around its namesake university in Austin, and Texas A&M and Texas Tech have also had their share of the national spotlight in recent years.

After three straight winning seasons, Houston (2-0) is trying to push its way on the stage, and a 45-35 victory at then-No. 5 Oklahoma State on Sept. 12 was a good start.

Case Keenum connected with running back Bryce Beall for a 6-yard touchdown pass with 6:42 remaining, and Jamal Robinson sealed the win with a 26-yard interception return for another score.

Keenum finished with 366 yards and three touchdowns - two in the first half. He also opened the scoring with a 16-yard run as the Cougars built a 17-point halftime lead.

Oklahoma State, however, scored three straight touchdowns in the third quarter before Keenum's pass ended a back-and-forth exchange in the final period.

After their first win over a top-five opponent since 1984, the Cougars will play as a ranked team for the first time in 18 years. Before last week, their most recent appearance in the AP poll was Sept. 15, 1991, when David Klingler was the starting quarterback.

"For us as a program, this is a big win because it legitimizes our university. It legitimizes our program," Houston coach Kevin Sumlin said. "There's no doubt that one win does not make a season. We've got a whole bunch of football to go.

"But I think any time that you can go on the road and win and beat a Top 10 team, it really helps your confidence as a program and it helps your pride as a university."

Houston has another quarterback in Klingler's mode in Keenum, who passed for 5,020 yards and 44 touchdowns to earn Conference USA player of the year honors last season. The junior appears on pace for a similar season after throwing for 725 yards and seven touchdowns in the first two games.

Three of Keenum's receivers already have at least 10 catches and 100 yards, led by Charles Sims' 174 yards. Beall, who rushed for 1,247 yards and 13 TDs as a freshman, has 136 yards and two touchdowns this season.

With their help, Houston ranks No. 1 nationally in scoring (50.0 points per game) and fifth in total offense (525 yards per game). Keenum is third in passing yards per game.

However, the Cougars will face the nation's top passing offense and most prolific quarterback in front of an expected record crowd.

In 10 seasons under Mike Leach, Texas Tech's Air Raid system has consistently ranked among the nation's best, and the Red Raiders (2-1) have had a long line of quarterbacks with gaudy numbers including Kliff Kingsbury and all-time FBS touchdown leader Graham Harrell.

Tech's latest passing star is junior Taylor Potts, who has thrown for 1,281 yards and 12 touchdowns in three games. Potts has helped the Red Raiders average 444.3 passing yards per game.

Despite losing 34-24 last week at No. 2 Texas, Potts completed a career-best 46 passes for 420 yards. He also shook off a hard hit that caused a fumble in the fourth quarter.

"He's really tough, and he didn't let the hit affect him," Leach said. "Not many QBs can get hit really hard and come in the next series and not flinch."

After losing Michael Crabtree to the NFL draft with two years of eligibility remaining, Lyle Leong has taken over as this year's leading receiver. Potts' former high school teammate has 19 catches for 252 yards and five touchdowns.

Houston leads the series 17-10-1, but Texas Tech has won five straight meetings, including a 38-26 win Nov. 25, 1995, at the Astrodome.