Texas Tech Gets Revenge on Iowa State, 24-13

Another season of starting out 3-0 entering conference play, and another loss to begin the Big 12 season.

September 29, 2012; Ames, IA, USA; Iowa State Cyclones linebacker Jake Knott (20) tackles Texas Tech Red Raiders Javon Bell (1) in the second half at Jack Trice Stadium. Texas Tech beat Iowa State 24-13. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-US PRESSWIRE

Steele Jantz will be at the heart of criticism, capping off a night completing just 10-20 passes and a touchdown but threw three interceptions and fumbled the ball. All three Iowa State possessions in the fourth quarter resulted in a turnover. Texas Tech was able to add 10 points in the quarter to pull away at the end.

While the first interception in the fourth quarter wasn’t Jantz’s fault (the receiver was hit hard as the ball popped into the air for an easy interception), his fumble on the second drive was that sealed the game for Texas Tech.

The rushing attack was stopped this time around. James White and Shontrelle Johnson both had nine attempts, and finished with 57 and 44 yards respectively. With Jantz under pressure much of the game, he scrambled 19 times for a net total of 14 yards. While active, it was obvious that Jeff Woody wasn’t close to being healthy with just one attempt for a yard.

Defensively, the Cyclones dominated for as long as they could. Red Raiders quarterback Seth Doege was rattled in the beginning, facing pressure early when he fumbled the ball on his second play of the game (recovered by a Texas Tech player) and threw two interceptions in the first half. One of the those was an 87-yard pickoff return for a touchdown by A.J. Klein late in the first quarter.

Iowa State’s defense also held the running game down, limiting them to just 63 yards and no touchdowns – some of that was due to Doege’s three sacks for a combined negative 35 yards. But the difference was completing 65 percent of his passes, throwing for 331 yards and three touchdowns.

The Cyclones will try to rebound and avoid another streak of wins or losses that’s been happening since losing three straight games to end the 2010 season. They will play in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, next week and face the currently undefeated TCU Horned Frogs at 4-0.

Other notes:

• For the 10th straight game, the Cyclones’ defense held the opposing team to 31 points or less. In that span, the team is just 6-4 to show for it.
• Iowa State hasn’t given up a rushing touchdown in the previous three games.
• Texas Tech’s defense may prove to be legit, holding Iowa State to 189 total yards and one offensive touchdown.

Brian Spaen is the lead editor for Clones Confidential. Keep up with the latest sports fails and disdain toward the Big Ten by following him on Twitter.

Read his other work on the Oregon Ducks blog, Autzen Zoo, and Lacrosse the Web.