Iowa State vs. Texas Tech: Spread Info, Line, BCS Impact and Predictions

How will No. 22 Texas Tech play just one week after pulling off one of the biggest shockers of the entire college football season?

The Cyclones upset over the Oklahoma Sooners is still fresh in the minds of college football nation, but the team must forget all of the hoopla when Iowa State comes to town looking to play the role of spoiler themselves.

Here is everything you need to know about Saturday’s Big 12 Conference matchup:

Where: Jones AT&T Stadium

When: 7:00 P.M. EST

Spread: (5-2) Texas Tech -14 vs. Iowa State (3-4)

(courtesy of Covers.com)           

This spread is inflated because of the performance last week of the Red Raiders, which was going to happen regardless of who they were playing.

It’s hard to take a Cyclones team that has lost four in a row seriously considering the smallest margin in those four games has been 16 points.

The team gets behind big in the second half and tends to throw in the towel.

Also consider these three trends:

Favorite is 6-1 ATS in their last seven meetings.

Home team is 5-1 ATS in their last six meetings.

Cyclones are 2-5 ATS in their last seven meetings.

Over/Under: 67

This sky-high line is tough to judge. It’s hard to take the over when one of the team’s involved is 90^th in the nation in scoring. Yes that’s right, the Cyclones average a poultry 23 points a game.

That means the Red Raiders have to score 45 to cover the spread. Considering they are ninth  in the nation at 43.4 a game…maybe it’s not such a stretch after all.

Tech has yet to post a score of less than 34 points this season.

Then there are these trends to contemplate:

Over is 6-0 in Red Raiders last six games overall.

Over is 4-0 in Red Raiders last four games as a favorite.

Over is 5-0 in Red Raiders last five games following a ATS win.

BCS Implications:

The impressive win over the Sooners vaulted Texas Tech all the up to No. 20 in the BCS poll. Beating a mediocre Iowa State team at home isn’t going to do much in terms of moving up the list, but a loss would essentially be the end for Tech.

So essentially the Red Raiders have nothing to gain and everything to lose.

The Cyclones are looking to get back to the .500 mark and somehow make a bowl game.

A loss would likely end those thoughts.

Prediction:

The Red Raiders can’t let this be a let down game. They are ranked for the first time in almost two years, and don’t want a repeat performance of last year.

Falling behind 24-0, Tech couldn’t claw back as they were upset by the Cyclones last year 33-17.

The Cyclones have been outscored by a 171-74 margin in conference play and have never won at Texas Tech.

Freshman QB Jared Barnett will get the start after struggling Steele Jantz took a seat with another horrific performance last week.

The Cyclones will be without the services of Shontrelle Johnson as well. The sophomore running back that ran for over 100 yards in last year’s game may miss the rest of the season with a neck injury.

With the incredible play of Tech QB Seth Doege of late (2,608 yards, 22 TDs, 4 INTs, 70-percent completion percentage), expect this game to get out of hand early.

Final Score: Texas Tech 51 Iowa State 27