Red Raider head coach Joey McGuire has a tire on the sidelines during the game. It is in reference to a boxing drill where the sparing partners have to always keep a foot inside the tire. It forces each other to stay in the fight no matter what. Under the rain in Ames, Iowa, the Red Raiders had to endure a 12-round, drag-out fight with the 11th-ranked team in the country. But Tahj Brooks delivered the knockout punch with 20 seconds left. Texas Tech earned a gritty upset victory over Iowa State by the score of 23-22.
Defense Answered The Bell
Outside of a 44-yard touchdown pass surrendered with 2:11 left in the game, the Texas Tech defense delivered its best performance on the season. They forced three turnovers (one on downs, one interception, one fumble) and made Matt Campbell’s offense earn every yard down the field. After coming up with zero negative plays against Baylor two weeks ago, the pressure has been cranked up.
Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht was sacked two times and had four quarterback hurries registered against him. Red Raider defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter has to be extremely pleased with how this defense showed up on Saturday. There were still plenty of missed tackles. Iowa State still moved the ball for 432 total yards. But this Texas Tech defense earned the title of the best unit on the field Saturday in Ames.
Offense Was On The Ropes For Much Of The Game
For the first 17 plays of the game, Zach Kittley’s offense was humming. An opening drive touchdown looked smooth and crisp. The next drive, the offense did stall out and had to settle for a field goal, but but Texas Tech earned the undivided attention from the Iowa State crowd. However, after those two drives, the offense could not do anything. In the next six drives, the Red Raiders only moved the ball a combined 21 yards. During that time, the running game was abandoned and quarterback Behren Morton threw two interceptions. The second one most back-breaking as it was at the 50-yard line with 30 seconds left in the first half. Instead of the Red Raiders getting points before the half, Iowa State turned the interception into a touchdown and a 13-10 halftime lead.
“The Brand” Found The Killer Instinct When It Mattered Most
Iowa State also started the second half with the ball and began to start marching down the field. Coming into this game, Last Word (and seemingly much of the fan base) challenged the Red Raiders to demonstrate that they believe in “The Brand”. Iowa State had the ball on the Texas Tech 14-yard line. The Texas Tech collective fan base could feel this opportunity slipping away. But then, Texas Tech forced a fumble. Maybe this was going to be the moment things turned around. Instead, the offense went three and out. The air from the “Brand” balloon was promptly let out. But then, the defense began to re-inflate it by forcing Iowa State to punt.
The Red Raider offense then took over on the Iowa State two-yard line. That is when they got back to feeding Brooks and they marched down the field in 12 plays for a touchdown to take a 17-13 lead late in the third quarter. Finally, signs of a team that prides itself in being “the toughest in the country.” But Iowa State did spring that one big touchdown late in the fourth quarter. It was now looking more like a moral victory for this team, which no player, coach, or fan would have been satisfied with. Instead, Texas Tech took all the poor play calls, the procedural penalties, and the missed opportunities of the game and did not blink. It wisely leaned on Brooks again and 12 plays and 71 yards later, Texas Tech earned its biggest win of the McGuire era.
Texas Tech Earned Its Fourth Straight Bowl Appearance
Much of this game, especially the offense play calling, was sloppy. Iowa State fans have to think this one-in-a-program history opportunity was wasted. They have a decent case to feel that way. But the fact is Texas Tech did not have nearly the stakes to play for that the Cyclones did. It would have been easy for them to just roll over at this point in the season. However, November McGuire has a special pull on this team. McGuire is now 7-2 in November with this win.
McGuire has stated many times that the goal is to play meaningful games in November. With Kansas State losing to Houston, the door has cracked back open for a 9-3 Texas Tech team to make a Big 12 championship appearance. So the opportunity to play meaningful November games has now arrived. The Red Raiders will get their chance to play their biggest November home game since 2013 next week against Colorado.
