Joey McGuire is taking No. 13 Texas Tech's ranked win over No. 22 Houston in stride after leading his Red Raiders past the Cougars on Friday night.

McGuire started the fifth season of his head coaching career with the Red Raiders. He has made major improvements at the helm, leading the program to the College Football Playoffs in 2025. This paves the way for them to be in the conversation as a national contender this season, placing high expectations on them.

Texas Tech's chances depend on them beating its regular-season opponents, Houston being one of them. Getting victories over ranked squads provide a major boost to their CFP candidacy, one that McGuire didn't hesitate to point out after the game.

“We beat a ranked opponent tonight. That was huge,” McGuire said. “Maybe I’m wrong, we’ll see, but I do truly believe we’re trying to find ourselves.”

How Joey McGuire, Texas Tech performed against Houston

Joey McGuire and No. 13 Texas Tech remain undefeated with a 3-0 record after taking down No. 22 Houston. Despite escaping with a 28-26 win, the Red Raiders can only grow from there as an aspiring title contender.

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Texas Tech started out slow after trailing 10-0 in the first quarter. They went on to outscore Houston 28-16 for the remainder of the game, making crucial plays down the stretch to fend off the Cougars.

Will Hammond had a decent outing leading the Red Raiders offense. He completed 17 out of 27 passes for 257 yards and a touchdown and an interception while rushing five times for 30 yards.

Cameron Dickey and J'Koby Williams shined with big highlights in the run game. Dickey led the group with 16 carries for 65 yards and a touchdown, while Williams recorded seven rushes for 62 yards and a touchdown. Meanwhile, Kenny Johnson was explosive as he caught four passes for 113 yards and a touchdown.

The No. 13 Red Raiders will look forward to their next matchup, remaining at home. They host the Sam Houston Bearkats in Week 4 as kickoff commences on Sept. 26 at 12 p.m. ET.