Alan Bowman threw for 430 yards and two touchdowns Saturday night as host Texas Tech barely held off FCS opponent Houston Baptist 35-33 win in the Red Raiders' season opener in Lubbock, Texas.

The Huskies (0-2) had a chance to tie the game with a two-point conversion after a 6-yard scoring strike from Bailey Zappe to Jerreth Sterns. But Zappe's pass for Ben Ratzlaff was incomplete, and Texas Tech ran out the clock with three first downs.

Zappe shredded the Red Raiders' defense after a slow start, completing 30 of 49 passes for 567 yards and four touchdowns. Three Houston Baptist receivers finished with more than 100 yards, led by Josh Sterns with 209 on just five catches.

SaRodorick Thompson rushed 22 times for 118 yards and two scores for Texas Tech, which outgained the Huskies 624-600 in a game that lasted more than 3 1/2 hours. The teams also combined for 63 first downs and a whopping 23 penalties.

Bowman, who missed the final nine games last year with an injury, was 38 of 52. He sprayed his completions among 11 receivers.

The expected rout took shape for about a quarter and a half. Bowman fired a 7-yard touchdown pass to Erik Ezukanma just 1:38 into the game to put Texas Tech on top. Houston Baptist responded with Gino Garcia's 40-yard field goal just over three minutes later.

The Red Raiders opened up a 21-3 lead in the second quarter on scoring runs of 5 yards and 1 yard, respectively, by Thompson and Tahj Brooks. But Zappe took advantage of a coverage bust with 5:21 left in the half, finding DJ Dormeus for a 65-yard touchdown that pulled the Huskies within 21-10.

Houston Baptist pressed the attack in the third quarter. Garcia hit from 44 yards to slice the deficit to eight, and Zappe connected with Sterns on a 65-yard scoring strike at the 5:40 mark to make it 21-20.

Texas Tech got some much-needed cushion four minutes later on Thompson's 8-yard run, and the Red Raiders led by eight going to the fourth quarter.

--Field Level Media