Texas takes slim title hopes to Iowa State

AMES, Iowa — No. 22 Texas still has a path to the Big 12 title game.

But the Longhorns also head into Saturday’s game at Iowa State (5-4, 3-3 Big 12) knowing that they will have to start playing much better. The Longhorns (6-3, 4-2) have split their last four games, with wins over Kansas and Kansas State that only came after field goals at the end of regulation.

They are a rare underdog against the Cyclones, who are favored by a touchdown.

“The expectations from our fans, from the media … they’re never going to be as high as what’s inside of our building,” Texas coach Tom Herman said. “We have tremendously high expectations.”

Iowa State enters play on a twogame skid.

SCOUTING THE CYCLONES

Iowa State nearly knocked the Sooners out of the playoff picture by storming back from 21 down to make it a one-point game with 24 seconds left. The Cyclones then decided to go for two, only to see Brock Purdy’s pass intercepted.

“That’s life in the Big 12, right? You go from great quarterback to great quarterback,” Herman said of Purdy. “Last year you could tell he had a lot of moxie, you could tell he could run around and make plays.”

Purdy leads the Big 12 and ranks sixth nationally with 316 yards passing a game; the sophomore also threw five TD passes in Norman last week.

Iowa State also ranks third in the Big 12 in scoring defense at 25 points a game, but that number spiked to 38 in back-to-back losses to Oklahoma State and Oklahoma.

TIDBITS

Purdy and LSU star Joe Burrow are the only players in the country to be responsible for at least six touchdowns in a game twice this season. Burrow also torched the Longhorns for 471 yards and four TD passes in September. … Iowa State’s Breece Hall ranks fourth nationally among true freshmen with seven rushing TDs. … Texas has won 11 of its last 15 Big 12 games. … The Longhorns are the only league team Campbell hasn’t beaten in four years with the Cyclones.