ISU: Fights for Sixty Minutes

               This week of the college football and Big 12 season was exciting to watch.  The most exciting game I watched was a defensive struggle between Iowa State University and Texas Tech University.  I feel this game was the best one to watch.

                At the start of the first quarter, ISU won the coin toss and elected to receive.  ISU looked a little shaky at first because they were not playing cohesively.  They were forced to punt the ball away to TTU.  Then the ISU defense came on the field and defensive linemen, Mitchell Meyers, forced a fumble, but TTU was lucky to recover the ball.  Not too long after this play ISU forced TTU to punt the ball.  When ISU’s offense came back on the field, it was easy to see the offensive line was not protecting their quarterback well.  ISU has to improve on this in the weeks to come or the game could get away from them.  ISU had to punt again which occurred repeatedly in the game.  So far in the first quarter neither team could do much of anything.  ISU’s offense was back on the field and looked like they could score a touchdown, but the offensive line could not protect the quarterback once again.  At the 4:50 mark of the first quarter, ISU tried for a field goal but it was ruled no good.  At the 1:42 mark of the first quarter, it looked like the ISU’s defense was tired and was going to let TTU score, but in the red zone linebacker, A.J. Klein, intercepted the ball and took it for an 80 yard a touchdown to make the score 7-0 ISU.  This is where the momentum shifted in ISU’s favor. 

                At the start of the second quarter, ISU defensive back, Jacques Washington, intercepted the ball in the red zone to give it back to ISU’s offense.  The ISU offense could not capitalize on the interception and had to punt the ball away.  This is one aspect ISU needs to work on, because whenever an opponent turns the ball over they need to be able to capitalize on it.  This way it makes it harder for the opponent to get back in the game.  On the next ISU offensive drive quarterback, Steele Jants, threw the ball with no wide receiver in the area and the ball was intercepted.  One thing the coaches need to do is tell Steele Jants if he cannot find an open receiver, then throw the ball away.  At the 1:32 mark of the second quarter TTU tied the game at 7-7.  The interception was a costly mistake for ISU.  At half time the score was 7-7.

                At the start of the third quarter, TTU had possession of the ball first, but ISU’s defense forced them to punt.  The ISU offensive line still did not protect their quarterback.  On a third and twenty play, the ISU offense looked as if they would have to punt, but quarterback, Steele Jants, ran for 21 yards to get the first down.  This was the spark ISU’s offense needed.  Later in this drive, quarterback, Steele Jants, threw the ball to tight end, Ernst Brun JR., for the touchdown at the 4:26 mark of the third quarter to make the score 13-7 ISU.  The extra point was no good for ISU, keeping the score 13-7 ISU.  At the 1:01 mark of the third quarter, the defense for ISU was back on the field and could not stop TTU from scoring a touchdown, which made the score 14-13 TTU.

                In the fourth quarter, ISU’s offense was driving down the field and turned the ball over.  Once again TTU would capitalize on the mistake with a touchdown to make the score 21-13 TTU at the 6:50 mark. At the 2:20 mark of the fourth quarter, ISU’s quarterback, Steele Jants, fumbled the ball and TTU made a field goal off the mistake.  ISU’s quarterback, Steele Jants, tried a Hail Mary throw, but it was intercepted in the end zone which sealed the win for TTU.  The final score was 24-13 TTU.

                This game was close for most of the game, but what cost ISU was not being able to capitalize on turnovers by TTU and letting TTU capitalize on ISU’s turnovers.  ISU cannot turn the ball over as much as they did and expect to win the game.  This game was great to watch because ISU’s defense is tough to play against.  Here is a link for highlights of the game.  http://www.big12sports.com/mediaPortal/player.dbml?catid=34621&id=1064730