Texas Tech @ Iowa State preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 21, 2017 ) Iowa State 31, Texas Tech 13

A pair of true freshman quarterbacks will be in the spotlight Saturday afternoon when Texas Tech visits Iowa State. Brock Purdy has led the Cyclones to back-to-back victories over top-25 opponents while Alan Bowman of the Red Raiders, despite missing most of two games with a partially collapsed lung, leads all freshmen nationally in passing yards and passing yards per game.

Bowman was cleared to fly this week after having to be driven to watch Tech's 17-14 win at TCU on Oct. 11 because of the injury. He made his return to the field in last Saturday's 48-16 home victory over Kansas and completed 36-of-46 passes for 408 yards and three touchdowns. Purdy, who had taken just two snaps before taking over as Iowa State's starter at then-No. 25 ranked Oklahoma State and completing 18-of-23 passes for 318 yards and four TDs, has also been impressive in his two starts, accounting for eight of the Cyclones' 10 touchdowns in 48-42 wins over the Cowboys and a 30-14 home upset of No. 6 West Virginia on Oct. 13. "It's really impressive to watch what Purdy's done there," Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury said during his weekly Big 12 teleconference. "In his short time as a starter, he's brought a real spark to that offense. He can run it, he can throw it, he's taking care of the football. It's impressive."

TV: Noon ET, ESPN2 LINE: Iowa State -3.5

ABOUT TEXAS TECH (5-2, 3-1 Big 12): The Red Raiders, who enter with a three-game Big 12 road winning streak which dates back to the 2017 regular-season finale at Texas, can reach bowl eligibility with a win. Bowman, who has thrown for 2,088 yards and 14 TDs with only four interceptions on 245 attempts, has been spectacular at times including a 43-of-59, 605-yard, five-TD performance in a 63-49 victory over Houston. Somewhat overlooked is a Tech defense led by senior linebacker Dakota Allen (52 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss) and senior safety Jah'Shawn Johnson (280 career tackles) that has forced 41 turnovers since the start of the 2017 season and has held Oklahoma State (17), TCU (14) and Kansas (16) all to 17 or fewer points.

ABOUT IOWA STATE (3-3, 2-2): Purdy is averaging 286.0 yards passing, 347.5 yards of total offense, is completing 75-percent of his passes and is joined in the backfield by junior RB David Montgomery who has 11 career 100-yard games and is second in the Big 12 in rushing with an average of 104.6 yards per outing. Wide receiver Hakeem Butler leads the team with 479 receiving yards on 24 receptions, an average of 20 yards per catch, and has five scoring grabs. The defense, led by end JaQuan Bailey (4.5 sacks, 9.5 tackles for loss), leads the Big 12 and ranks 16th nationally in rushing defense allowing an average of 110.3 yards per game and 3.0 yards per rush and has registered a school-record-tying seven sacks in back-to-back games.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Texas Tech leads the series with the Cyclones, 11-5, but Iowa State has won the last two games by an average of 37 points.

2. Iowa State is 6-0 in October games the last two seasons, including four wins over top-25-ranked teams.

3. The Cyclones are one of seven teams in the nation still perfect in the red zone, going 16-of-16 with eight touchdowns and eight field goals.

PREDICTION: Iowa State 34, Texas Tech 27