TCU @ Iowa State preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 6, 2012 ) Iowa State 37, Texas Christian 23

Odds are that Saturday's showdown between Texas Christian and host Iowa State will not be a repeat of last season's 60-point shootout between the two Big 12 rivals. Instead, two of the three worst offenses in the conference will battle to stay out of the basement, as the Horned Frogs and Cyclones have gone a combined 1-10 in the Big 12 this season. Iowa State pulled out a 37-23 road upset last year to snap Texas Christian's 12-game winning streak and a 25-game conference winning streak for TCU dating back to its days in the Mountain West.

The stakes will be considerably less in this year's rematch, with the Horned Frogs and Cyclones meeting for the first time in Ames, Iowa, since 1998. TCU is looking to rebound from a 30-27 overtime loss at home to West Virginia in which Casey Pachall amassed a career-high 40 completions for 394 yards and three touchdowns in his second start since breaking his non-throwing arm on Sept. 7. "Casey got the ball out of his hands as quick as we'd seen him do it in a long time," TCU coach Gary Patterson said.

TV: Noon ET, FSN. LINE: Texas Christian -7.5

ABOUT TEXAS CHRISTIAN (3-6, 1-5 Big 12): The Horned Frogs started the season 3-3, but have since dropped three in a row to Oklahoma State, Texas and the Mountaineers. Since replacing Trevone Boykin at quarterback two games ago, Pachall has thrown for 533 yards with three interceptions for TCU, which ranks 109th in the nation in total offense. The Horned Frogs' defense is tied for second in the nation in interceptions with 17 and ranks and are allowing just 3.3 yards per rushing attempt.

ABOUT IOWA STATE (1-7, 0-5 Big 12): It remains uncertain whether Sam Richardson or Grant Rohach will be at quarterback for Iowa State following last week's 41-7 rout by Kansas. Rohach, a redshirt freshman, had been listed atop the depth chart to start this week, but coach Paul Rhoads was not ruling out Richardson, a sophomore, to make his 11th straight start. The Cyclones will rely mainly on their running game, with Aaron Wimberly carrying the ball if he is ready to go after missing the past two games with a sore hamstring.

EXTRA POINTS

1. TCU's Boykin, who filled in for Pachall at quarterback, is the only player in the nation this season with games of 100 yards rushing, 100 yards receiving and 200 yards passing.

2. Iowa State LB Jeremiah George leads the Big 12 with 93 tackles.

3. TCU has won 16 of its last 20 conference road games, but is 0-3 this season.

PREDICTION: Texas Christian 28, Iowa State 13