Iowa State thrashes Texas Tech, 66-10

AMES — The last time the Iowa State football team lit up the scoreboard like this, its current head coach was 10 months old. You'd have to go back even further from, 18 years to be exact, to find the last time it was done against a conference opponent.

As dominating as Iowa State's 66-10 win against Texas Tech was offensively, the Cyclones (3-8, 2-6) fielded a defense to match. It was the perfect cocktail to halt Red Raiders' (4-7, 2-6) bowl eligibility hopes.

'I thought that was closest to the best 60 minutes we've played completely obviously this year,' said Iowa State coach Matt Campbell. 'I'm really proud of our senior class. I think those guys staying the course, it really allowed us to continue to get better as the season's gone and obviously we've got one last big challenge left before this season ends.'

Iowa State's 66 points were the most since it scored 69 in 1980 against Colorado State, and the most against a conference opponent since it scored 57 against Colorado in 1962. It scored 31 points in the second quarter, a school record, tallied at least 608 yards of offense for the first time in eight years and got back-to-back wins for the first time in three years.

Texas Tech's 306 yards was its lowest output in coach Kliff Kingsbury's four seasons. Tech was held 36 points below its scoring average. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes was 18-for-36 passing for 219 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions while the Red Raiders lost the turnover margin 3-0.

'We were also playing the second-best offense in the country and to hold them to 10 points, that's unbelievable,' said wide receiver Allen Lazard, who had seven catches for 137 yards and a score. 'As many points as we put up tonight, our defense played lights out. That was just huge. It was a huge game for our program.'

The defense will get will get a bit overshadowed by a blistering offensive performance. And no one shined brighter in the offensive sets than quarterback Joel Lanning.

Lanning continued to showcase his running ability with 17 carries for 171 yards and five touchdowns, which tied a school record for rushing scores in a game by one player. The junior's role as a starter has given way to Jacob Park, who was 14-for-18 passing for 285 yards and two touchdowns, but it hasn't felt like a diminished role for Lanning.

'It's awesome to score five touchdowns in a game, it's kind of unheard of,' Lanning said. 'It brings you back up a little bit after being through a rough season or whatnot. I never got too down or anything, just kind of accepted my role and kept going and tonight we blew up offensively, so it was awesome.'

.November 20, 2016

.@JFL_02 scored five times today.pic.twitter.com/u2YrgkpTCb

— Iowa State Athletics (@CycloneATH)

We've got each touchdown for you in one nifty highlight package.

Iowa State opened up a 14-3 in the first quarter, but the onslaught began eight seconds into the second quarter. Park found Lazard for a 34-yard touchdown pass that Lazard hauled in with one hand over a defender before pushing his way into the end zone.

The Cyclones defense created two turnovers, a fumble recovery and pick six by safety Kamari Cotton-Moya, while Iowa State scored 31 points in the quarter. It was the most points in a quarter in ISU history, surpassing 29 points in the fourth quarter against Kansas State in 1983 (29).

'We have been working hard the entire season and we've always come up short,' said defensive back Evrett Edwards. 'These past few games being able to reap what we sow is an amazing feeling.

'It's something that we've deserved and tonight it's something that we earned.'

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