Texas Tech eyes road win, bowl eligibility in Ames

Television coverage will be provided by FS1 with Eric Collins behind the mic. He will be joined by former Michigan quarterback Devin Gardner serving as the broadcast analyst. Fans can access the game from their mobile or streaming device by using the FOX Sports app.

RED RAIDERS SEEKING BOWL ELIGIBILITY

• Texas Tech will look to build off its win over Kansas by becoming bowl eligible Saturday when the Red Raiders travel to Jack Trice Stadium to face Iowa State. The Red Raiders have made 39 bowl appearances in their history, which ranks in the top 25 all-time in college football history.
• The Red Raiders will be searching for its first win in Ames since 2014 as the Cyclones have won the last three meetings at home. Texas Tech is 1-1 against Iowa State in November games played in Ames as the Red Raiders went on the road to top the Cyclones in 2014 but fell in the 2016 matchup between the two schools.

NOVEMBER TRIPS NORTH RARE FOR TEXAS TECH

• Saturday’s game in Ames will mark only the 10th time in program history that the Red Raiders have played a game north of the state of Oklahoma during the month of November. Traditionally, Texas Tech has played games against in-state rivals with additional trips to the state of Oklahoma and Arkansas (Southwest Conference era) during the final month of the regular season.
• Texas Tech is 3-6 all-time in games played north of Oklahoma during November with losses in each of their last three trips. The Red Raiders’ two lone victories came at Iowa State in 2014 and at Wake Forest in 1941.
• This will be the sixth time since 2014 the Red Raiders have played north of Oklahoma during November as the Red Raiders fell at Kansas State in 2018, at Iowa State in 2014 & 2016, and at West Virginia in 2015 before winning in 2019.

RED RAIDERS LOOK TO BUILD OFF DRAMATIC 2021 WIN

• This will be the 21st all-time meeting between Texas Tech and Iowa State as the Red Raiders are 12-8 after snapping a five-game losing streak to the Cyclones with a dramatic 41-38 victory a year ago. The Red Raiders used a career-high 322 passing yards from Donovan Smith and 175 receiving yards from Myles Price to secure the victory, which was capped by a 62-yard field goal as time expired from Jonathan Garibay. The field goal marked the longest in Texas Tech history and the longest all-time by an FBS kicker to win a game with less than a minute remaining.
• The Red Raiders are 4-5 all-time in games played in Ames as Texas Tech will be looking for its first win at Iowa State since a 34-31 victory over the Cyclones in 2014. Iowa State has won the past three visits to Ames with a 66-10 rout in 2016, a close 40-31 victory in 2018 and then a 31-15 victory in 2020.
• Texas Tech is 10-8 against the Cyclones during the Big 12 era. The two schools met twice prior to the formation of the Big 12 Conference in 1996 as Texas Tech routed Iowa State, 52-0, in 1967 and then added a 24-3 victory in 1974.
• The 2020 meeting between the two schools marked only the second time in the series that the Red Raiders faced a ranked Iowa State team. Texas Tech is 12-6 all-time against unranked Iowa State teams as the Cyclones were No. 11 in the polls in their 2002 victory over the Red Raiders and then No. 24 two years ago in the last trip to Ames.
• The 2021 victory marked the seventh time Texas Tech has scored at least 40 points in its series with the Cyclones. The Red Raiders are averaging 39.8 points in wins over the Cyclones and just 19.4 points in its losses. In fact, Texas Tech is 9-2 all-time against the Cyclones when scoring at least 30 points over the course of the series.

CAREER NOTABLES VERSUS THE CYCLONES

• The 2021 matchup marked the first career start for Donovan Smith, who picked apart the Iowa State defense to the tune of 322 yards on 25-of-32 passing. It was the first of four now 300-yard performances in Smith’s career as he became the ninth Red Raider since 1999 to throw for 300 yards in his starting debut. His 322 passing yards marked the second-highest total all-time for a Red Raider freshman making his starting debut, trailing only the 415 yards from Davis Webb against Iowa State in 2013.
• SaRodorick Thompson has found the end zone three times in his career versus Iowa State as he has totaled 116 rushing yards off 25 carries over his career. Thompson is averaging only 38.7 yards per carry over three career games versus the Cyclones, which is his lowest clip versus any Big 12 opponent. Thompson’s best performance against Iowa State came as a redshirt freshman in 2019 as he carried 10 times for 57 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
• Tahj Brooks had a strong showing in the 2021 matchup, carrying nine times for 80 yards and a touchdown, while also catching a pair of passes for 21 yards.
• Myles Price had a career day a year ago against the Cyclones as he hauled in nine catches for 175 yards in the win. It marked the most receiving yards all-time by a Red Raider in the series versus Iowa State, snapping the previous mark of 166 yards that was set by Jakeem Grant in the 2015 contest.
• Tony Bradford Jr. set a career-high with eight tackles in Texas Tech’s last trip to Ames as he also had a tackle for loss and two quarterback hurries. He has 11 stops during his career against Iowa State, including 1.5 for a loss.
• Dadrion Taylor-Demerson recorded his third and final interception of the 2021 season a year ago against Iowa State. The interception went along with five tackles as he picked off Iowa State quarterback Brock Purdy on only the third play of the second half.

NEWS & NOTES HEADING INTO IOWA STATE

• Texas Tech will be seeking a much-needed win Saturday to extend its season to a bowl game for the 40th time in program history. A victory over the Cyclones would return the Red Raiders to a bowl in back-to-back seasons for the first time since the 2012-13 campaigns. Texas Tech currently ranks tied for 21st in FBS history and tied for third in the Big 12 Conference in all-time bowl appearances.
• The Red Raiders enter their final two games of the regular season at 5-5 overall for the 10th time in program history. In the previous 10 occurrences, the Red Raiders have found a way to pull off at least one victory in six of those seasons (1991, 1993, 1999, 2010, 2015, 2017).
• Texas Tech currently stands at 3-4 in Big 12 play entering the final two games of the regular season. With wins against both Iowa State and Oklahoma, the Red Raiders would guarantee their first winning conference record since 2009 when Texas Tech was 5-3 in league play as part of the former eight-game model.
• Winning the turnover margin has been a key message for Joey McGuire since his hiring as part of his pull to “take three” each game. The Red Raiders are a perfect 3-0 this season when winning the turnover margin after victories over Texas (+2), West Virginia (+4) and last weekend versus Kansas (+2).
• One of the key components of Joey’s McGuire’s official “Plan to Win” at Texas Tech is for the Red Raiders to win the middle eight minutes (last four of second half, first four of third quarter). Thus far, the Red Raiders have been successful offensively heading into the half with four touchdowns and three field goals for a total of 37 points.
• Texas Tech will be facing one of the nation’s premier defenses this season against Iowa State as the Cyclones lead the Big 12 and rank ninth in the FBS in scoring defense after allowing only 16.7 points per game. The Red Raiders, meanwhile, are averaging 33.8 points per game as Texas Tech is 5-1 when scoring at least 30 points this season with the lone loss coming at Oklahoma State. Texas Tech has won eight of its last nine games when scoring 30 or more points dating back to midway through the 2021 season.
• With two regular-season games remaining, Texas Tech has only had one true freshman play more than four games thus far in defensive lineman Joseph Adedire. He has appeared in nine of 10 games thus far, recording 12 tackles defensively, including 2.0 for a loss. Fellow true freshman Wesley Smith has played in four games to this point as well, matching the maximum to protect redshirt status under NCAA rules.

WILSON TURNING IN ALL-AMERICA YEAR

• Tyree Wilson:
  • Leads the power five with 50 pressures this season and ranks second in the FBS according to Pro Football Focus.
  • Ranks tied for third in the power five for TFLs (14.0) and tied for ninth in the FBS.
  • Leads the FBS with 8.5 TFLs against opponents that are currently ranked in the top 25 of the Nov. 13 AP poll.
  • Leads the power five with 9.0 TFLs in true road games and ranks fourth in the FBS for the category.
  • Ranks tied for 25th in the FBS for total sacks (7.0) despite often facing double teams on passing downs.
  • Leads the FBS with 5.0 sacks against opponents that are currently ranked in the top 25 of the Nov. 13 AP poll.
  • Is not just a pass rusher, though, as he is third on the team with 61 tackles this season, easily the most in his career.
  • Is currently one of only two power five players and one of seven players in the FBS to record 60 tackles this season, at least 10.0 TFLs and at least 6.0 sacks.
  • At 6-6, 270 pounds, he’s projected as a first round draft pick in this year’s NFL Draft as he was No. 2 among defensive ends on the draft boards for Mel Kiper Jr. and Jordan Reid on ESPN.com’s Nov. 3 update.

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