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    • Texas Tech football at Iowa State: Scouting report, prediction
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    Texas Tech football at Iowa State: Scouting report, prediction

    Vaseline Posted on

    Don Williams
    | Lubbock Avalanche Journal

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    The Texas Tech football team, which has losses to Baylor and TCU, will look to snap a two-game losing streak when the Red Raiders visit No. 10 Iowa State in Ames, Iowa.

    It’s quite a task. Iowa State (7-0, 4-0 in the Big 12) has won its first seven games for the first time since 1938. The Cyclones are looking to win six straight Big 12 games for the first time, dating back to last season. time. Tech has won two straight in the series, including 14-10 two years ago on a frigid night in Ames.

    The Cyclones are a consensus 13 1/2-point favorite heading into the 2:30 p.m. game at Jack Trice Stadium.

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    When Texas Tech football controls the ball

    Tahj Brooks (179 carries, 925 yards, nine touchdowns) has rushed for at least 95 yards in each of his past 18 games, surpassing 100 yards in 15. He finished strong in last week’s 35-34 loss at TCU after knocking himself out in the third quarter with an injury. While Brooks was away, speedy freshman J’Koby Williams shined.

    Although Iowa State ranks ninth in the FBS in scoring defense and 18th in total defense, Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson has rushed for 187 yards for the Cyclones, and two weeks ago Central Florida’s RJ Harvey and Jacurri Brown had 196, respectively meters and 154 meters. The Cyclones’ leading tacklers are S Malik Verdon, S Beau Freyler and WLB Kooper Ebel with 54, 42 and 41 stops respectively.

    Advantage: Texas Tech

    When Texas Tech football passes

    Behren Morton is expected back after missing the second half last week with an injury to his non-throwing shoulder. True freshman Will Hammond showed he’s ready for the Big 12, just in case.

    The hot hands on the Tech receiving corps belong to lanky WR Caleb Douglas (39 catches, 554 yards, four TDs), who has left the past three weeks. Iowa State’s pass defense, which ranks second in the FBS, also has to follow IR Josh Kelly (60-609-3) and WR Coy Eakin (26-395-6).

    The Cyclones are strong on the back end with center safety Beau Freyler, FS Jeremiah Cooper (seven interceptions since the start of 2023) and CBs Myles Purchase (19 pass breakups since last season) and Jontez Williams (interceptions in four straight games).

    Advantage: Iowa State

    When Iowa State football runs

    Tech ILBs Jacob Rodriguez (70 tackles) and Ben Roberts (58 tackles) anchor the Tech defense, while S CJ Baskerville (44 tackles) also provides run support.

    Iowa State rotates RBs Carson Hansen (70 carries, 398 yards, seven touchdowns), Jaylon Jackson (68-329-2) and Abu Sama (60-303-1). Hansen has rushed for 97 yards against Baylor, 96 yards and three touchdowns at West Virginia and 91 yards and two touchdowns against UCF over the past three games. Sama is the home run hitter with six career TD runs of at least 50 yards. Jackson, a Texan from Burleson Centennial, had 96 yards against Houston and 107 against Baylor in the Cyclones’ first two Big 12 games.

    Advantage: Iowa State

    When Iowa State football passes

    It’s a potential mismatch with Texas Tech ranked last among the 133 FBS teams in pass defense and Iowa State WRs Jayden Higgins (45-563-6) and Jaylin Noel (37-681-3) considered NFL prospects. Higgins (6-foot-1, 215 pounds) has touchdown catches in eight of nine games last season, and Noel (5-11, 200) has gained 95 yards in four of seven games this season.

    It hasn’t helped the Red Raiders that CB Maurion Horn (shoulder) missed almost all of last week’s game and CB Bralyn Lux and FS Chapman Lewis, while back, have also been dealing with injuries.

    DE Harvey Dyson produced last week, making a strip sack/fumble recovery and completing a pass that Lewis intercepted. But playmaking up front was scarce. The Red Raiders’ Big 12-worst sack percentage bodes well for Iowa State QB Rocco Becht (1,712 yards passing, 11 touchdowns).

    Advantage: Iowa State

    Special teams

    Tech kickers have made 15 of 16 field goals, the best percentage in the Big 12. Gino Garcia (12 for 12) is one of five FBS kickers to be perfect on at least nine attempts. Iowa State freshman Kyle Konrardy (9 for 12) beat Iowa with a last-minute 54-yarder.

    Tech P Jack Burgess and his ISU counterpart Tyler Perkins both average 42 yards, although Burgess has placed 13 kicks and Perkins only three inside the opponent’s 20 yard lines.

    Tech’s Drae McCray leads the Big 12 with an average of 25.8 yards on kickoffs, and ISU’s Jaylin Noel ranks second in average kickoff returns with 15.9 yards. However, McCray missed last week and remains doubtful (head injury).

    Advantage: Texas Tech

    Score prediction: Iowa State 27, Texas Tech 23

    In short: Matt Campbell gets Iowa State rolling again. The Cyclones are 12-3 in their last 15 games and are undefeated at home this season. That advantage, combined with Tech’s vulnerability to the pass, makes an upset unlikely.

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