The chase for the College Football Playoff is starting to take shape as the regular season schedule enters November. One previously undefeated team suffered its first loss of the year at home and will face an uphill battle to make the CFP after Saturday’s upset.
Iowa State entered its Week 10 matchup with Texas Tech sporting a 7-0 record and a No. 11 ranking. The Cyclones, tied with Non. 9 BYU in the Big 12, were 14.5 favorites over a 5-3 Red Raiders that had suffered a disappointing 35-34 loss to TCU in Week 9.
Iowa State felt the heat
Iowa State felt some pressure on Saturday, as the program had never started 8-0. The Cyclones had positioned their team to be in the CFP conversation when the selection committee released their first rankings on Tuesday. Unfortunately for Iowa State, the team had a back-and-forth contest with a Texas Tech team that had underperformed for much of 2024.
Texas Tech had a 10-3 lead at the end of the first quarter, but Iowa State would take a 13-10 lead at halftime. The Red Raiders would take a 17-13 lead with 1:56 left in the third quarter.
Texas Tech pulled off a massive college football upset
Iowa State would retake the lead in the fourth quarter, going up 22-17 with 2:11 left to play. But Texas Tech would win the game on a 12-play, 71-yard drive that ended with a five-yard touchdown run from running back Tahj Brooks to make it 23-22 with 20 seconds to go. The Cyclones didn’t have enough time to drive down for a field goal attempt.
Brooks had a dominating performance against Iowa State, gaining 122 yards on 25 rushes. The Cyclones outgained Texas Tech in total yards 432-366 and time of possession, but could not overcome two turnovers and a missed field goal at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday.
Texas Tech has a chance to be a giant slayer once again next week when they host No. 23 Colorado. The Red Raiders are fifth in the Big 12 standings with a 4-2 conference record.
Iowa State will travel to play 2-6 Kansas next week. They are tied with Colorado for second place in the Big 12. Iowa State needs to win out for a chance to make and win the Big 12 conference championship for the Cyclones to make the CFP after Saturday’s upset.
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