Texas Tech, strapped for road success, seeks bowl certainty at Iowa State
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Joey McGuire is rebuilding the excitement level at Jones AT&T Stadium in his first year as Texas Tech coach, leading the Red Raiders to five home victories for the first time since 2009. That's also the last season Tech finished better than .500 in Big 12 football games, and the Red Raiders still have a chance to achieve the latter this year, too.
One thing McGuire hasn't been able to deliver in his first year: Triumphs on the road. Not even one, in fact.
Tech's last chance to do so comes Saturday at Jack Trice Stadium in bone-chilling Ames, Iowa. The Red Raiders (5-5, 3-4 in the Big 12) are the senior night opponent for Iowa State (4-6, 1-6) in a matchup of two teams trying to become bowl eligible.
"We've got our work cut out for us," McGuire said. "We go on the road, still looking for that first win on the road. It's going to be a tough place to play, but we're really excited coming off of (a victory against Kansas) Saturday and where we're at as a team."
The kickoff comes at 6 p.m., when the National Weather Service forecast calls for 17-degree weather with a wind chill of 5. By 10 p.m., it's expected to be 10 degrees with the wind chill at zero.
More:Preparing for the worst (weather): Icy cold in Iowa awaits Texas Tech football
Tech is 0-4 on the road, though the Red Raiders were underdogs against ranked opponents in each of those games. A Matt Wells team went 0-4 away from home in the Covid-shortened 2020 season, but the last time Tech finished winless in road games before that was in 1998.
"That has been an issue," linebacker Krishon Merriweather said, "so we're really focusing this week on concentrating on our job assignment, alignment and really getting the job done this week."
Iowa State has been a team of extremes. Statistically speaking, the Cyclones are pairing one of the FBS' best defenses with the Big 12's least productive offense, yet with the conference's leading receiver. ISU ranks among the top 12 in the nation in rushing defense, passing defense, total defense and scoring defense and last in the Big 12 in rushing offense, total offense and scoring offense.
More:Texas Tech football stats leaders
The attack revolves around getting the ball to wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson, who's caught 97 passes for 1,059 yards and six touchdowns.
Hutchinson's presence hasn't been enough to get the Cyclones over the jump a lot of weeks, though. They've lost five games by seven points or fewer.
Iowa State has made a bowl and finished with a winning record five years in a row, but has to beat Tech and win next Saturday at TCU to keep its bowl streak alive. ISU's 1-6 record over the past seven games is its worst stretch under seventh-year coach Matt Campbell since the Cyclones started 1-8 in 2016, Campbell's first season.
"For whatever reason, we're kind of sputtering in that inconsistency," Campbell said, "and why I haven't been able to totally get us out of there yet. It's frustrating, and those are things where I have to be better. I've got to find out where that gap is and continue to do everything in our power to plug away."
Tech snapped a five-game losing streak against the Cyclones last year with Jonathan Garibay's 62-yard field goal as time ran out the difference in a 41-38 game. That victory made Tech bowl eligible, and the Red Raiders closed the season by beating Mississippi State in the Liberty Bowl.
To be bowl eligible again, Tech needs a win Saturday or next Saturday in its home finale against Oklahoma.
College football
Who: Texas Tech at Iowa State
When: 6 p.m. Saturday
Where: Jack Trice Stadium, Ames, Iowa
TV: Fox Sports 1
Records: Texas Tech 5-5, 3-4 in the Big 12; Iowa State 4-6, 1-6
Rankings (CFP/AP/coaches poll): Both teams unranked in all.
Line: Iowa State by 3 1/2. Over-under: 47 1/2 points
Radio: FM 97.3, FM 100.7, FM 106.5, AM 950 in Lubbock. FM 95.7, AM 1440 in Amarillo.
Satellite radio: Sirius/XM 380
Follow Along: Follow @AJ_DonWilliams for live game updates, with post-game recap and interviews to follow at www.lubbockonline.com.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech football seeks bowl certainty at Iowa State
