Red Raiders Defense Comes Up Big in 14-10 Win Over Iowa State Cyclones
The Texas Tech Red Raiders face the Iowa State Cyclones in Ames for a Big 12 matchup on the road in the second-to-last regular-season game of the season. With a win, Tech will become bowl eligible for the second season in a row, and it's first under coach Joey McGuire.
The Red Raiders are playing north of Oklahoma in the month of November for just the 10th time in program history, and are 0-3 in their last three games. The weather could a factor as the cold moves in with 20-degree conditions.
Tech started the game with the ball but quickly gave it up on a fumble on the fifth play from scrimmage by Myles Price after a seven-yard catch on 3rd and 3 from the Tech 28. The Red Raiders' defense held the Cyclones to a missed 30-yard Drake Nettles field goal that wasn't even close, wide left.
The teams exchanged short-yardage drives throughout the first quarter and combined for four punts and 99 yards.
The Red Raiders finally found the scoreboard first early in the second quarter. After a Shough-to-Price pass of 28-yards to the Iowa State four-yard line, Donovan Smith punched it in with a one-yard run for the score on a trick play that saw Shough lined up as a running back trying to distract the defense using hand signals as if he's changing the play.
Iowa State found its offensive legs on the ensuing possession - an 82-yard drive over 14 plays - with a 36-yard Nettles field goal after a touchdown pass from Hunter Dekkers to Dimitri Stanley was called back for an offensive holding penalty.
The Cyclones had another chance to get on the board at the end of the half, but Nettles missed a 34-yarder to end the half as the Red Raiders hang on to their 7-3 lead at the half.
The third quarter saw some big plays from both teams - including two goal-line stands on fourth down by the Tech defense - but no scoring.
Early in the fourth quarter, the Cyclones found the end zone for the first time with a 24-yard pass from Dekkers to Easton Dean who leaped a defender at the goal line to score.
But the Iowa State lead didn't last very long as the Red Raiders drove the field 77 yards in 13 plays on the next possession. That drive culminated in a four-yard touchdown pass from Shough to Baylor Cupp that gave Tech the lead again at 14-10 with 6:10 remaining.
The Red Raiders defense held the rest of the way and the 2022 Texas Tech football team will go bowling for the second season in a row.
Tyler Shough completed 15 of 21 passes for 141 yards and a touchdown and also rushed for 33 yards on 14 carries. In the loss, Cyclones quarterback Hunter Dekkers went 23-for-35 for 294 yards and one touchdown while running for 29 yards on 10 carries.
Next up for the Red Raiders are the Oklahoma Sooners on Nov. 26 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock at 6:30 p.m. CT.
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