Friday night in Lubbock had just about everything you could ask for from an early-season Big 12 showdown.

Two ranked teams with conference championship aspirations went back and forth, and once again, Texas Tech found itself in a game that came down to the final moments. This time, the Red Raiders made the play that mattered most, stopping Houston on a potential game-tying two-point conversion with less than a minute remaining to secure a wild 28-26 victory.

It wasn't always pretty. In fact, the first few minutes were downright ugly. But Texas Tech survived, responded and walked away with another win that says quite a bit about where this program might be headed.

Here are a few rapid reactions from another heart-stopping Red Raider victory.

Texas Tech wins another game it used to lose

For the second week in a row, Texas Tech won the type of game that has frustrated Red Raider fans for years.

Against Oregon State, Tech had to overcome a fourth-quarter deficit on the road. Friday night, the challenge came much earlier.

The Red Raiders found themselves trailing 10-0 after only three possessions, and Jones AT&T Stadium had gone from rocking to stunned in a hurry. Over much of the past 15 years, that type of start has been a recipe for disaster.

We've seen Texas Tech teams absorb an early punch, spend the rest of the night trying to recover and ultimately come up just short. This team didn't follow that script.

Instead, the Red Raiders settled down and fought their way back into the game. They didn't panic when Houston grabbed control early, and they didn't fold when the Cougars threatened late.

This might have been the most resilient victory of the Joey McGuire era. More importantly, it was another sign that this team is developing the toughness required to survive a Big 12 title race.

The Tommy Castellanos experiment needs to be limited

At this point, Texas Tech should know exactly how to use Tommy Castellanos.

He's dangerous with the football in his hands, particularly around the goal line, where his running ability can force defenses into difficult decisions. But asking him to handle traditional quarterback duties comes with significant risk.

That was painfully obvious on Tech's first offensive play Friday.

Castellanos threw an interception that immediately handed Houston even more momentum and sucked the energy out of the stadium. It was exactly the type of mistake Texas Tech can't afford against good Big 12 teams.

Castellanos can still have an important role on this offense. Put him in the red zone, give defenses the threat of the read option and let his athleticism create problems.

But Will Hammond needs to be the quarterback running this team.

Friday night made that clearer than ever.

The Red Raider running game finally comes alive

Maybe Texas Tech's rushing attack is beginning to find itself.

Houston entered Friday as one of the nation's most productive rushing teams, averaging more than 300 yards per game on the ground. Tech's running game, meanwhile, had been slow to get going this season.

You wouldn't have known it from watching this matchup.

Houston finished with 176 rushing yards, but Texas Tech was right behind at 168. Even more encouraging, the Red Raiders averaged 5.3 yards per carry compared with Houston's 4.8.

The ground game became particularly important in the second half, when Tech started imposing itself offensively. The Red Raiders scored three rushing touchdowns, including two in the red zone.

That's especially impressive considering Houston entered the night having allowed only 22 rushing yards all season.

Then, when Texas Tech needed to finish the game, Cam Dickey delivered the final first down that allowed the Red Raiders to run out the clock.

For a team with championship aspirations, being able to win on the ground when everyone in the stadium knows you're trying to run the football is huge.

Will Hammond takes control of the team

This felt like Will Hammond's night.

The numbers were solid. Hammond completed 17 of 27 passes for 257 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He also added 30 yards on five carries.

His final stat line could have been even better. Three costly drops kept him from potentially putting together his first 300-yard passing performance of the season.

But this game wasn't really about Hammond's numbers.

It was about how he responded.

He watched Texas Tech fall behind 10-0 before he even got an opportunity to take command of the offense. He could have allowed the strange quarterback rotation to knock him out of rhythm.

Instead, he stayed ready.

Once Hammond got his opportunity, he helped settle the offense and eventually guided the Red Raiders all the way back.

The physical ability has never really been the question with Hammond. He has the arm, mobility and athleticism to be an excellent Big 12 quarterback. What stood out Friday was his composure.

For perhaps the first time this season, Hammond looked completely comfortable again. The hesitation that can come after returning from a knee injury appeared to be fading, and his willingness to make plays with his legs added another dimension to the offense.

Most importantly, he looked like the quarterback this team can rally around.

This win feels bigger than one night

Texas Tech certainly has plenty to clean up. Falling behind 10-0, turning the ball over early and needing a defensive stand on a two-point conversion isn't exactly the preferred formula for winning football games.

But championship contenders aren't going to play perfect football every week.

Sometimes they have to survive.

That's what Texas Tech did Friday night.

The Red Raiders took Houston's best shot, recovered from a miserable start, found a running game and watched their young quarterback take another significant step forward.

Then, with the game hanging in the balance, the defense made one final stop.

Texas Tech escaped with a 28-26 win, and for the second week in a row, the Red Raiders proved they can win a game that once seemed destined to slip away.

Maybe that's the biggest takeaway of all.

This Texas Tech team is starting to look different.