The Anti-Preview: Texas Tech vs. Iowa State

The Texas Tech Red Raiders are coming out of a gut-wrenching loss that both previewed better things to come and reminded us of where we’ve been. With a first-half fantasy of offensive lightning, and defensive thunder (yes, we’re still talking defense in Lubbock), there has been a lot of progress in this football program since Kingsbury took over in 2013. Yet, like everything that goes up, our second-half performance in Morgantown was more reminiscent of a team during the awkward Tuberville-Kingsbury transition phase.

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Despite that brief relapse, there is plenty of hope to be had for this season. We have home games against Iowa State, Kansas State, TCU and Baylor*. Then there are the two, more daunting, away games to Oklahoma and Texas. By my count, we’ve got six games left to prove we’re coming out of the shadow of the “one good upset” team and more towards a “Big 12 title contender.” If Growing Pains taught us anything it’s that growing up is tough – but worth it! We’re two games away from a bowl-game bid and growing up is going to continue to be tough this week against….

Iowa State Vortexes

I mean the Iowa State Whirlwinds, sorry. Iowa State is having a similar season to the Red Raiders in that the wins have been convincing but the losses have been close. Let’s go ahead and give them their credit where it’s due: they beat Oklahoma at home.

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Good job, you guys. Now that that’s over, maybe we should take note that for this week’s matchup Iowa State has two notable players out. Offensive lineman Oge Udeogu is out indefinitely with an elbow injury and quarterback Jacob Park is not even listed on the depth-chart for some personal-health reasons.

What Should You Be Drinking?

Lubbock, Texas at 11 a.m.? High of mid-eighties? I would really toss this one up between two choices. Mimosas or the ol’ cup of joe. Since there are people that say day drinking is taboo, I will suggest to you the local caffeine joints.

Yellow House Coffee, on 34^th St.

J&B Coffee, on 26^th.

The Coffee Shop, on Broadway. The downtown Broadway, any closer to campus and you’re in mimosa territory.

Honestly, I’ve always had a tiff with the length of football games in relation to the inability to sustain the subtle-buzz of fermented or distilled beverages (barring any ingenious camel-pak beer apparatus). So from the first whistle to the last, the Jones should be rocking. Suffer the coffee and celebrate with the mimosa. Or the other way around. I don’t run your life, just get up for football.

What Should You Be Eating?

11 a.m. games put us at the odd breakfast/brunch time of the day. Unless of course, like me, you understand breakfast is forever. Typically, I would turn your attention to the national food item of the day – but unfortunately for all of us, October 20^th is national Pumpkin Cheesecake Day. What is this world, anymore?

You know what, Lubbock, ANYTHING WITH A TORTILLA. I’m looking at you breakfast tacos, breakfast burritos, or just tortillas you heat up in the microwave and put honey on because you’re broke. #FeedTheMatadors

What Should You Be Wearing?

Clothes, probably. No word on any specific color coordination for the match up this weekend. As long as you don’t show up in just yellow or red-yellow combination clothing – I would say you’ve had success. It is also going to be in the mid-eighties, so don’t get too ambitious that Fall is here (?) because if you wear your vest you’re not going to make it. SOS Winter, Fall is getting bullied by Summer still! Send reinforcements.

What Is The Best Thing About The Game?

With Texas Tech coming off of a close loss and Iowa State coming off of a rout of Kansas, this game sets up an important tipping point in the season. Right now, the Red Raiders need traction and to establish themselves in the conference. Prevent the Big 12 slide and get some much-needed confidence for a big road test in Norman, OK the following week.

Five Reasons to dislike Iowa

Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

1. There is an obscure law that makes it illegal for mustached men to kiss a woman in public! Seems somewhat directed against the magnificent mustacheo, Raider Red. (Editor’s note: This may not actually be true, but all legend stems from somewhere, so I’m gonna leave it in here.)

2. Corn. It doesn’t digest, and without butter it’s just plain corn. Seriously, thanks for nothing, corn.

3. Clear Lake, IA: the place music died.

4. November 19, 2016.

5. ISU beating OU and planting the Iowa flag in Norman. Absolutely suboptimal. I was really hoping Texas Tech could have been the ones to carry that torch, but if we do it now then what are we? Copycats? Dismal! Sad!

At The End of the Day

Texas Tech is really maturing as a team. Sometimes it will seem inconsistent; you’ll be on Everest one moment and then the next moment you’re stuck in a cornfield in Iowa, but there’s an upward trend. I encourage everyone to come out, be loud, and remember that if all we’re worried about is a loss…then things are going pretty well in our lives. The Raiders use the chip on their shoulder from last year and take it to the ISU typhoons early. Texas Tech 45, Iowa State 28.

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*Texas Tech is the home team at an away location (Arlington)