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Texas Tech football: 3 things to know about Iowa State

By Matthew Conner

Oct 3, 2020; Ames, Iowa, USA; Iowa State quarterback Brock Purdy (15) celebrates a touchdown to bring the Cyclones to within one point of tying the game. With the extra point the game would be tied at 30 during their football game at Jack Trice Stadium. Iowa State would go on to defeat Oklahoma 37-30. Mandatory Credit: Brian Powers-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 3, 2020; Ames, Iowa, USA; Iowa State quarterback Brock Purdy (15) celebrates a touchdown to bring the Cyclones to within one point of tying the game. With the extra point the game would be tied at 30 during their football game at Jack Trice Stadium. Iowa State would go on to defeat Oklahoma 37-30. Mandatory Credit: Brian Powers-USA TODAY Sports /
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TCU Horned Frogs wide receiver Derius Davis (12) runs the ball against Iowa State Cyclones defensive back Lawrence White IV (11) in the third quarter at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
TCU Horned Frogs wide receiver Derius Davis (12) runs the ball against Iowa State Cyclones defensive back Lawrence White IV (11) in the third quarter at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports /

The ISU defense can be thrown on

While no one is turning their nose up at the Cyclone defense in 2020, the reality is that through three games, the 3-3-5 cloud scheme hasn’t been nearly as dominant this year as we’ve come to expect.

So far, ISU sits at just No. 7 in points allowed in the Big 12 at 31.7 per game.  By contrast, last year, they gave up an average of 25.9, which was third-best in the conference.

Meanwhile, the pass defense has been far more vulnerable as well.  Sitting at No. 8 in the league in that category, ISU is surrendering 284.3 yards per game through the air.  That’s 54.6 more than they gave up per game a season ago.

In the first Big 12 game of the year for ISU, they allowed TCU to pass for 399 yards and four TDs while last week, they let Oklahoma throw for 300 yards and two more scores.  In all, their seven TDs allowed through the air are tied for third-most in the league.  That’s on pace for 30 TDs surrendered in a normal 13-game season, which would be eight more than they gave up in 13 games last fall.

Last week, we talked quite a bit about how the Kansas State defense was the worst team in the Big 12 in terms of pass efficiency against.  Unfortunately, Tech didn’t exploit that weakness enough, due in large part to the injury to starting QB Alan Bowman.  This week, Tech will face the team that is now third-worst in the conference in that category, ISU.

I don’t have any inside knowledge but it would surprise me if Henry Colombi doesn’t get the start this weekend given how long ankle injuries, like the one Alan Bowman has, take to heal and how well Colombi played in Bowman’s place against the Wildcats.  Can he make a suspect ISU pass defense pay for its weaknesses while making his first start against a scheme that even the best QBs struggle to solve?  If Tech is going to have any hope of avoiding a third-straight loss, he (or Alan Bowman) better prove capable of doing just that.

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