GAME BREAKDOWN
KEY MATCHUP: Texas Tech QB Alan Bowman vs. Iowa State secondary. Bowman has averaged 412 yards in the last four games when he’s played the entire contest. Meanwhile, Iowa State is third in the Big 12 as it has allowed just 229.8 yards passing per game in Big 12 action. So something has to give. Iowa State is second in the Big 12 in rushing yards allowed per conference game, meaning Bowman probably has to find a way to solve the Cyclones’ secondary.
DRAFT SLANT
–LB Dakota Allen earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honors after he made seven tackles, including two TFLs and recovered a fumble against Kansas. He leads the Red Raiders with 30 solo and 52 total tackles this season.
ROSTER REPORT:
–RB Da’Leon Ward has been sidelined most of the season with a groin injury suffered in the Ole Miss game. He played briefly against TCU but missed the Kansas game. He will be a game-time decision this week versus Iowa State.
–QB Alan Bowman left the West Virginia game late in the first half when he was hit by two Mountaineers in the upper body. Bowman was diagnosed with a partially collapsed lung and admitted to a Lubbock hospital, where he was observed until the following Wednesday. He missed the TCU game, but returned to a starting role against Kansas and led the Red Raiders to a win.
–C Paul Stawarz was in the concussion protocol and missed the TCU game but returned to action against Kansas.
–DE Tony Jones exited the TCU game with a lower-leg injury and missed the Kansas game. Kingsbury said he expects to have Jones back for the Iowa State game.
–WR T.J. Vasher tweaked a knee against Oklahoma State and missed the West Virginia game, then had a lower-back issue that sidelined him for most of the contest against TCU. But Kingsbury said medical exams of Vasher’s back and knee didn’t turn up anything, so he played through the pain against Kansas. He caught five passes for 79 yards and a TD in the win over the Jayhawks.
–LT Travis Bruffy left the TCU game with an apparent lower leg injury but returned to action against Kansas.
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