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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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Sep 26, 2020; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Iowa State Cyclones running back Breece Hall (28) runs for a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the TCU Horned Frogs at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 26, 2020; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Iowa State Cyclones running back Breece Hall (28) runs for a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the TCU Horned Frogs at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports /

The Cyclone offense relies on big plays

While the Cyclone defense is designed to prevent chunk plays and force teams to sustain long scoring drives, the offense is making a killing on huge plays so far in 2020.  That’s a concern given what we’ve seen from the Red Raider defense through three games.

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ISU sits in the top 10 nationally in terms of the number of 30-plus-yard plays they’ve pulled off.  With nine to their credit this year, they are tied with a host of teams at No. 8 in the NCAA.  What’s more, they have rattled off six plays of 40 or more yards, which is tied for 5th nationally.

On the ground, ISU has four gains of 30 yards or more,  That’s tied for 6th in the country.  Much of that is due to star RB Breece Hall who has a 75-yard run this year and who broke off a 75-yard TD last year in Lubbock.

Meanwhile, the Red Raiders have yet to surrender a 30-yard run this year.  However, they have been gashed for 20 yards or more four times.  Can they keep Hall from breaking loose this Saturday?  That’s going to be one of the keys to this contest.

Against TCU in the Big 12 opener, ISU had TDs of 75 yards, 49 yards, and 32 yards, with two of those coming from Hall.  And last week against Oklahoma, they scored on a 65-yard TD pass.

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It will be interesting to see if Red Raider defensive coordinator Keith Patterson decides to come after ISU quarterback Brock Purdy and put his unit at risk of giving up the long play or if he goes against his nature and sits back to force ISU to sustain drives.  What he decides to do will be a critical component of how this game plays out given ISU’s propensity for burning opponents with big plays.

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