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Saturday, September 26, 1998
Texas Tech-ISU seen as measuring stick for
both
By CHUCK SCHOFFNER AP Sports Writer
AMES, Iowa (AP) - The measuring stick is coming out for Iowa
State and Texas Tech.
Both are off to good starts heading into their Big 12 opener
at Iowa State's Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday, though neither
has defeated any world beaters.
Texas Tech (3-0) beat UTEP and North Texas soundly, then had
a close call with Fresno State. Iowa State (2-1) followed a season-opening
loss to TCU with dominating victories over Iowa and Ball State.
So just how good are these two teams? They should get a little
better handle on that after meeting each other in a game that
begins at 11:30 a.m.
"Obviously, the competition takes a major step up this
week," Iowa State coach Dan McCarney said. "They are
an outstanding football team. They look like one of the top 20
teams in America when you watch them on tape."
Tech coach Spike Dykes isn't ready to put his team in that
category just yet, especially after the Red Raiders needed a big
break on defense to escape with a 34-28 victory over Fresno State.
Fresno State was leading 28-27 and had the ball with less than
a minute left when Tech's Reagan Bownds forced a fumble and teammate
Kyle Shipley fell on it in the end zone for the winning touchdown.
"We really did stink it up at times," Dykes said.
"But we overcame some of that to go on and win the game."
Texas Tech will challenge Iowa State's revamped defense with
running back Ricky Williams, the nation's leading rusher. Williams
rushed for 244 yards against Fresno State and is averaging 221.7
a game.
Iowa State has clamped down on the run in its last two games,
giving up only 42 yards rushing in a 27-9 victory over Iowa and
79 yards in a 38-0 win over Ball State.
Neither, though, had a back like Williams nor a line like Tech's,
which averages 322.8 pounds per man.
"He's a great back," McCarney said of Williams. "He's
durable, he's fast, he's got lightning quick feet. Like Darren
Davis' feet in the open field, he just can make people miss. He
gets behind that massive offensive line up front, it's hard to
see him, it really is."
Davis, Iowa State's tailback, is fourth nationally in rushing
with an average of 171 yards a game. He has run for 444 yards
in his last two games but will face a defense that hasn't given
up much on the ground.
Tech is seventh nationally in rushing defense, allowing only
58 yards a game and just one rushing touchdown. Davis will need
another strong effort from his offensive line, which has been
outstanding after Iowa State managed only 75 yards rushing against
TCU.
"We know for our team to have success and for our offense
to have success, we have to be able to run the ball," tackle
Bill Marsau said. "We did a very poor job of that our first
game. So we really concentrated on it our last two games and I
think we've done a very good job."
Tech's defense is led by end Montae Reagor, who is the school's
career leader in sacks and needs only four more tackles for a
loss to become No. 1 in that area.
"He would get any vote that I've got for any team - all-Big
12, All-American," McCarney said. "I'm definitely going
to list him on my Lombardi and Outland Trophy votes. He's that
kind of player. That's not an exaggeration."
Saturday's winner will reach a winning streak that hasn't been
achieved at the school in a while. Texas Tech hasn't started a
season 4-0 since 1975. Iowa State hasn't won three straight games
in a season since 1989.
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