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    • Iowa State football falls for the first time against Texas Tech
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    Iowa State football falls for the first time against Texas Tech

    Kathleen William Posted on

    AMES — If it were easy, another Iowa State football team would have done it at some point in the last 125 years or so. If it were easy, it wouldn't be a milestone. If it were easy, it wouldn't be Iowa State football.

    But it's not easy. Never been like this. It never will be.

    And that is definitely not the case now.

    The dream of perfection for the 10thThThe top-ranked Cyclones are over and the road to the Big 12 Championship Game – and the College Football Playoff – got more difficult Saturday when Iowa State suffered its first loss of the season, 23-22, to Texas Tech.

    It was a surprising loss for the Cyclones (7-1, 4-1 Big 12), but one that was entirely deserved as they clearly had their worst, sloppiest performance of the season.

    Iowa State, the least penalized team in the country, was rejected eight times for 59 yards, lost its first fumble of the season, threw an interception and missed a field goal that looked like it was aimed at Boone.

    Still, as they have done all year, the Cyclones gave themselves a chance with elite defense and uncommon resilience. But the mistakes were just too big to overcome.

    Iowa State took its first lead when Carson Brown missed two tacklers and stormed down the sideline into the end zone with just over two minutes to play. Considering how well the Cyclone defense has played – and how the last seven games have played out – it seemed like that would be enough to maintain perfection.

    But the magic that existed across the parking lot at Hilton Coliseum and had seemingly come to Jack Trice Stadium this season was suddenly gone.

    Texas Tech simply outran Iowa State's defense, gaining 71 yards on 12 plays in 1 minute, 47 seconds before scoring a touchdown with 20 seconds left.

    And so the Cyclones' perfect season came to an end.

    But not the hopes for a dream season.

    The only irreparable damage done was to Iowa State's overall College Football Playoff record, and that alone was probably never going to be strong enough anyway.

    The Cyclones still control their own destiny to reach the Big 12 title game, where a win will clinch not only their first true conference championship in program history but also an automatic bid to the playoffs.

    This team has not been shaken this season despite numerous in-game adversities. They almost always responded with an iron soul.

    Now the challenge is to do this not in one game but over a week of preparation. To accept this defeat for what it is – one defeat – and continue working towards the bigger goals.

    Anything else could endanger the entire operation.

    It would never be easy.

    Now the hard work continues.

    Iowa State columnist Travis Hines has covered the Cyclones for the Des Moines Register and Ames Tribune since 2012. Contact him at [email protected] or (515) 284-8000. FFollow him on X at @TravisHines21.

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    Kathleen William
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