ISU Unable to Stop Tech's Passing Attack

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) - B.J. Symons was 45-of-65 for 487 yards and three touchdowns and ran for two more scores as Texas Tech beat Iowa State 52-21 on Saturday night.

Symons also committed all four of the Red Raiders' turnovers. Two of the turnovers led to Iowa State touchdowns.

He threw TD passes for 24, 9 and 6 yards and left the game with 8:30 remaining. It was the first time in four games that Symons did not get at least 500 passing yards.

Tech (5-1, 2-0 Big 12) increased its winning streak to three games, while the Cyclones (2-4, 0-2) have lost four in a row.

Symons spread his passes around, hitting nine receivers. Taurean Henderson caught nine passes for 52 yards, Wes Welker had eight for 76 yards and Carlos Francis had seven for 118 yards.

Henderson also ran for one touchdown and finished with 113 yards on 13 carries.

Symons' performance broke an NCAA record for total offense in a four-game span set by Houston's David Klingler (2,276 yards) in 1990. Symons finished with 529 total yards Saturday night to set the record at 2,328.

With the 487 yards passing against the Cyclones, Symons also topped the NCAA record (2,170) for passing yards over a four-game stretch that he set last week.

He has 2,239 yards passing in the past four games. He got 505 in Tech's 59-28 win over Texas A&M last week, 661 yards in Tech's 49-45 win at Mississippi and 586 in the 49-21 loss at North Carolina State.

By halftime Symons had 308 yards on 28-of-39 passing. He fumbled twice and had a pair of passes intercepted - all in the first half.

Cyclone tailback Michael Wagner scored on a 25-yard run late in the first quarter to make it 7-7 after the first of Symons' fumbles, this one at Iowa State's 36.

Late in the first half, Joe Woodley intercepted Symons' pass at the Cyclones 49. Seven plays later, Cris Love threw a 21-yard score to Lance Young to pull Iowa State to 21-14.

Iowa State almost got a third score off a second fumble by Symons but a holding penalty nullified a touchdown pass to Lane Danielsen. Symons lost the ball at Iowa State's 12 and Ellis Hobbs III returned it 53 yards to the Tech 35.

The Cyclones tied it at 21 on their first play from scrimmage in the second half when Love hit Lane Danielsen on an 80-yard pass.

Tech went ahead for good on its next drive when Symons ran in from the 1 to cap a 12-play drive for 28-21 lead.

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Players Mentioned

Lane Danielsen

Lane Danielsen

Michael Wagner

Michael Wagner

Joe Woodley

Joe Woodley

Lance Young

Lance Young

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