Iowa State football lost its first game of the season on Saturday, in a tough 23-22 defeat to Texas Tech. The Cyclones actually had leads at different points of the game, but couldn't do enough to get the victory. With the loss, Iowa State is now behind BYU in the Big 12 title race.
Iowa State should have won that game to Texas Tech, and here are some reasons why the Cyclones are most to blame for this heartbreaking loss.
Iowa State football won in so many different offensive categories
Iowa State did a great job on offense in this game, moving the football against a porous Texas Tech defense. The Cyclones offense finished ahead of Texas Tech in multiple categories.
Iowa State out gained Texas Tech in total yards, 432-366. Cyclones quarterback Rocco Becht threw for 299 yards and two touchdowns in the game, while also posting an interception. Iowa State averaged 5.6 yards per play, while the Red Raiders averaged just under five yards a play.
The stats don't stop there. Iowa State dominated the time of possession, holding the ball for more than 34 minutes in this game. Texas Tech had the ball just 25 minutes and change. The Red Raiders also had more penalties, more punts, and fewer first downs in this contest.
“We deserve this loss because we didn't play to our standards,” Becht said, per ESPN.
He makes a valid point because in the end, those numbers didn't matter. Texas Tech won this decisive battle, and Iowa State must now keep winning in order to stay ahead in this wild Big 12. There's another reason however, why Iowa State is to blame for this loss.
The Big 12's top defense couldn't get the stop it needed to win
Iowa State entered this game with the top scoring defense in the Big 12 Conference. It was a huge reason why the Cyclones were right in the mix at the top of the conference standings. Iowa State is allowing just 15.5 points a game this season, per league stats. The squad also has the best pass defense in the league, allowing just 146 passing yards a game.
The Cyclones have protected leads this season, due to that defensive play. It looked like that was going to happen once again against Texas Tech. Iowa State football got the lead with just 2 minutes and change left in the contest, when Becht threw a 44-yard touchdown pass to Carson Brown.
That touchdown put the Cyclones up 22-17. The two point conversion attempt failed; that would have put the team up by seven. Iowa State just needed to once again rely on that excellent defense.
For the first time this season, Iowa State couldn't get the stop it needed. Texas Tech marched down the field with just two minutes left, and Red Raiders running back Tahj Brooks scored a touchdown with just 20 seconds left in the game. Texas Tech would win the contest, after that heartbreaking play.
“(Tahj Brooks) is one of the players I have the utmost respect for,” Iowa State coach Matt Campbell said. “I think he's one of the great players in this conference, so a lot of praise to him for sure.”
Iowa State is now 7-1 on the campaign. There's still hope for the Cyclones to make the Big 12 championship and the College Football Playoff. The team is tied for second place in the conference, with just BYU ahead of Iowa State. Colorado is tied for second with the Cyclones, with plenty of football left to play.
Iowa State next plays Kansas in Lawrence on Saturday.
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