24 Jan 11 Texas Tech-Iowa State: Take Cyclones at Home Over Red Raiders

Jamie Squire/Getty ImagesThe Texas Tech Red Raiders and Iowa State Cyclones will meet for the ninth time this Saturday. Each team is in desperate need of a conference win, as both dropped their openers.Iowa State enters with a 2-2 record, but one of those wins was over FSC member Northern Iowa last week 27-0. Texas Tech has had two weeks to prepare for ISU following a disappointing 10-point loss to rival Texas.The college football lines show that the Red Raiders are a 7.5-point favorite.Texas Tech was showcasing a high-powered Atlanta Falcons jersey
offense once again until the Texas Longhorns defense came along. The Red Raiders were held to just 14 points. They are still averaging nearly 34 points per game, ranking 38th in the country.QB Taylor Potts won the starting job in camp over Steven Sheffield and has played well for the most part. He has passed for 810 yards and eight touchdowns with two interceptions. Sheffield has attempted just eight passes in three games.The running game could be more productive for Tommy Tubervillebunch. Baron Batch has not produced up to his standards early on. He leads the team in rushing with 121 yards on 32 attempts and two touchdowns. Eric Stephens is second on the team with 88 yards and two scores.The Red Raiders rank 116th in rushing yards per game at 70. Tech has always been known as a passing team, but they do usually have a little more balance.Lyle Leong is having an All-Big 12-caliber year, catching 20 passes for 251 yards and six touchdowns. He should have an opportunity to put up large numbers against a suspect Iowa State secondary. Detron Lewis is another favorite target and has 15 receptions for 165 yards.Austen Arnaud is set to return as the starting quarterback for Iowa State this weekend. Jerome Tiller played against UNI and led the Baltimore Ravens jersey
Cyclones to only 210 total yards.Arnaud has frustrated fans with costly interceptions over the years, but he still is the best option that the team has at this point. The senior quarterback is completing 57 percent of his passes for 590 yards and two touchdowns with five interceptions. Tiller is a better runner but struggles to move the ball through the air.Alexander Robinson is quietly putting together a fine season with 301 yards rushing and three touchdowns. He is averaging close to five yards per carry and is the biggest offensive threat the Cyclones have to offer. Former walk-on Jeff Woody has started to see more action in the backfield and is a good goal line option.TE Collin Franklin is the top target catching the ball. He has snagged 15 passes for 152 yards. Darius Darks leads all receivers with 12 receptions for 114 yards and a touchdown. Darius Reynolds is the big play receiver who is averaging over 14 yards per catch.Iowa State offense ranks near the bottom in the NCAA, and they will need to score some points to stick with a strong Texas Tech squad.Texas Tech has owned Iowa State over the years, winning seven of the eight meetings between these two schools. The Red Raiders have scored no less than 42 points in each of the last three games against the Cyclones. Iowa Statedefense is better than people give them credit for, and while Techoffense is still very good, it is not as good as past years.If the 'Clones want to return to a bowl for a second straight year, they must win this game. Buffalo Bills jersey
Matchups with Utah, Oklahoma, and Texas really place an emphasis on the Texas Tech game. Take the points to the bank.Play: Iowa State +7.5 Get expert football picks from the team at Locksmith Sports. Jimmy Boyd and company provide winners on a consistent basis to help you win money.