UH Football and Its Fans Get Little Respect From Texas Tech Athletic Director, the Oddsmakers — Willie Fritz’s 4-0 Team Is Being Dismissed

Willie Fritz’s University of Houston football team is 4-0, but you’d never know it if you listen to the chatter swirling around the Cougars’ Saturday night home game with Texas Tech. Even Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt is getting into the act, posting on Twitter Thursday night: “Red Raider Nation, it’s official — we have declared Saturday night’s game in Houston our 8th home game this season. Houston is West Texas.”

The oddsmakers are certainly bullish about the 11th-ranked Red Raiders’ chances of enjoying their weekend in H-Town. Texas Tech is an 11 and a 1/2 point favorite over Houston at many of the major sports books. Earlier in the week, that number stood as high as 12 and a 1/2 and it still sits there on DraftKings. The lowest it has been anywhere is 10 and a 1/2 points.

This game is being treated like a grand Texas Tech party in the making in many ways. Even with Houston’s TDECU Stadium officially sold out, its first sellout of the Fritz era, the other team’s AD is taking credit for it. Whose house?

Willie Fritz’s program may not be ready to win a game like this in only year two of his rebuild. But then again, what if it is?

“It’s always good for a program to play in big games,” UH defensive line coach Oscar Giles tells PaperCity. “I’ve always believed that. I always feel like this from the guys I’ve been able to work for — from Mack Brown to Craig Bohl — you made it a big game. The players made it a big game. Because of the way they played the week before and the week before and the week before.

“That’s what I tell the kids. It’s not because of me and all us coaches. You guys made it a big game because of the way you play. And people want to see you play. You don’t give up. You keep fighting. So when that happens, you start believing, ‘You know what, I’ve got a chance to win every game that we play.’ ”

Even against the Best Team That Money Can Buy. Texas Tech reportedly spent more than $25 million on this year’s football roster, fueled by billionaire super booster Cody Campbell. It certainly seems to have made Kirby Hocutt bold.

Then again, rivalries are good for college football and the Big 12 could use this Texas-sized one. A number of Houston-area recruits will be at this Saturday night game, taking in the action on the field, the atmosphere and everything else.

“I think it’s good,” UH offensive coordinator Slade Nagle tells PaperCity. “Obviously, the higher excitement about a game, the higher the atmosphere will be in the stadium. And recruits like that obviously.

“But at the end of the day, it just comes down to its another game and playing football and executing. And worrying about what you can control and handle.”

University of Houston’s Hall of Fame worthy basketball coach Kelvin Sampson is even getting into the mix. One thing Sampson is certain of is that UH’s student section will bring it and be heard by Texas Tech.

“Great opportunity,” Sampson says of this 4-0 vs. 4-0 matchup. “(Willie Fritz’s team) has taken care of business up to this time and have got a lot of people excited. You know our students have been awesome. The games I’ve been there our students have been awesome.

“So huge shoutout to our students.”

Whose house? Saturday night is almost here.

Houston vs. Texas Tech is a 6 pm ESPN kickoff at the Cougars’ on-campus TDECU Stadium. For more information and tickets, go here.