PLAYERS TO WATCH
–QB Brock Purdy has been great this season, but he hasn’t faced a road test like he will this weekend. Playing in Austin means getting the hostile aura from 100,000 fans dressed in burnt orange who want the Longhorn defenders to break him in half. Nothing has fazed the true freshman so far, and if he continues his run of success the Cyclones will be able to stay alive in the Big 12 race.
–WR Hakeem Butler is dangerous enough on any given week, but he has extra incentive to shine on Saturday. Butler wasn’t named as one of the 11 semifinalists for the Fred Biletnikoff Award, given at the end of the season to the best receiver in college football. Butler already has 816 receiving yards and eight touchdowns this season with three games left on the schedule.
–LB Marcel Spears had a season-high 10 tackles in the victory over Baylor. It marks his fourth career game with 10 or more tackles, and his best games have come against top Big 12 opponents. He’ll again need to be at his best against a Texas team that has scored points in bunches.
–DE JaQuan Bailey is the playmaker for Iowa State on the defensive line. He leads the team both in sacks (5.5) and tackles for loss (10.5). His 16 career sacks are the fourth-most in school history.
SERIES HISTORY: Texas leads Iowa State 13-2. However, Iowa State enters the game with three straight road victories over ranked opponents.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “We’ve had to play football without David this year at a bunch of different times and obviously a whole game (against Oklahoma State). We’re really fortunate to have a talented backfield. It’s been kind of our motto. The next guy will step up and be ready to play.” — Coach Matt Campbell, on preparing for Texas knowing that star running back David Montgomery will miss the first half because of an on-field incident against Baylor.
