Game Preview at Texas Tech
By Michael O’Deay (@MODeay70) Game 10 at Texas Tech Kickoff: 2:30 PM TV: ESPN 2 Radio: Cyclone Radio Network
Texas Recap: This game started out as a big boy game. The defenses were flying around hitting everyone. ISU opened the game forcing a Texas turnover. ISU promptly drove into a goal to go situation and walked away with a FG. That score would hold up until the middle of the 2nd quarter when Hudson Card drove Texas on a 14 play 78 yard TD drive, to take a 7-3 lead on a 4 yard pass to Xaiver Worthy. Halftime score 7-3. ISU had a solid 2nd half. Texas was on the field. That’s about it. The Cyclones got the ball to start the 2nd half and wasted little time to take the lead on a 4 play 75 yard drive that was capped with an impressive zig zagging Breece Hall 47 yard TD run. That was the gut shot to Texas. Then the teams exchanged punts. After the Cyclone defense forced the Longhorns to their 2nd three and out of the half, ISU used some trickery to deliver the hay maker! On 1st and 10 from their own 49 yard line, Brock Purdy threw a pass to Xaiver Hutchinson who then threw the ball to a wide open Tarique Milton for a 49 yard TD. After a 3rd consecutive 3 and out for Texas, Breece hall had a 21 yard run, a 3 yard run, then Purdy hit Kolar for a 23 yard gain that took the ball to the 2, and Breece Hall finished the 4 play 49 yard drive with his second rushing TD of the game. ISU would add two FGs to get to the final score of 30-7. The defense was phenomenal! Creating two turnovers, holding Texas to 8 three and outs, and holding Texas to 205 yards of total offense. Brock Purdy was efficient throwing for 252 yards with no TDs or picks. Breece Hall had 136 yards on 19 carries with 2 TDs. Xavier Hutchinson had 8 receptions for 96 yards with a passing TD. Will McDonald broke the ISU record for career sacks.
Know your opponent: Texas Tech is 5-4 and 2-4 in Big 12 play. The Red Raiders have lost their last 2, a 25-24 loss vs Kansas State and a 52-21 loss at Oklahoma. Texas Tech fired their head coach afte3r the loss to K State.
The Series: Texas Tech leads the overall series 11-8. Iowa State has won the last 5 games. Last season Iowa State won 31-15 in Ames.
The Game: Iowa State can still make it to Dallas. The first step is to beat Texas Tech. Brock Purdy is completing 74.3 % of his passes on the road this season. He has 6 TDs compared to 1 pick. Purdy hasn’t thrown an interception since the 3rd quarter of the Baylor game. Breece Hall surpassed the 1,000 yard mark on his second carry of the game last week. Hall is averaging 124.5 yards per game. He continued his TD streak to 21 consecutive games in the win over Texas.
Key to the Game: 1) Just win
As always 3rd downs, turnovers, and the line of scrimmage are huge.
My prediction: Texas Tech has received thorough whoopins against Texas, TCU and Oklahoma. ISU has lost 2 out of the last 3 on the road. I’m expecting a big win. Cyclones 48-7. Rest of the Season: Iowa State’s goal of winning the Big 12 is still feasible. Baylor’s loss to TCU last week was huge! Baylor has 2 conference losses. If they lose one more and ISU wins out, Baylors tiebreaking win against ISU is irrelevant because they would have more conference losses. If ISU can win their last 3 games, @ Tech, @ OU, and VS TCU they would need Oklahoma wins @ Baylor and @ Oklahoma State. If we play this one week at a time, the most important thing this week is an ISU win and a Baylor loss. Go Cyclones!