When ISU coach Paul Rhoads held coaching clinics in the past, one thing he made sure to emphasize was stopping the run.

If a team was rushing for 25 yards collectively, stopping the run would be all that much more important. What Rhoads preached at those clinics was not something Iowa State was able to do Saturday against Texas Tech.

The Cyclones (1-4, 0-2 Big 12) fell to the No. 20 Red Raiders 42-35 on Saturday in Lubbock, Texas, while the ISU defense allowed three Texas Tech players to rush for more than 80 yards with each earning a touchdown. The Texas Tech offensive racked up 666 total yards and ran 101 plays on the day.

Something that hasn’t been present in the past for the Red Raiders is a defense to match their high-powered offense, but Texas Tech held Iowa State to 311 total yards. The more uncommon defensive schemes are something the Cyclones tried to prepare for throughout the week.

“[Texas Tech coach] Kliff [Kingsbury] had said as much that their defense was leading the way, their senior leadership [on defense],” Rhoads said. “We saw it on tape, we knew it going into the game. They do a great job of disguising. They play in a defense up front that is unique and when you’ve got a week to prepare for it, it challenges you.”

Texas Tech got on the board first with a 33-yard touchdown pass from freshman quarterback Davis Webb to Jakeem Grant with 6:31 left in the first quarter. On the ensuing kickoff, ISU returner Jarvis West fielded the kick and sliced through the Red Raider kickoff team for a 95-yard touchdown.

West’s return is tied for the third-longest kickoff return for a touchdown in school history, and is the first non-onside kickoff return for a touchdown since Troy Davis took it to the end zone from 99 yards out in 1994. West knew that once he was in the open field, no defender would be catching him.

“I just saw lanes open and there were great blocks by my teammates and Albert [Gary], he led me through the hole and it came down to one person and I made that guy miss and finished the play,” West said of the return.

With Saturday’s loss, Iowa State drops to 1-4 on the season and 0-2 in the Big 12. Iowa State has lost those four games this season by a combined 22 points, and Rhoads had a simple message for his team following Saturday’s loss after he felt no sense of giving up for lack of fighting back.

“He said let it hurt,” said ISU running back Jeff Woody. “Let a loss hurt, because if you invested enough into it, it should. Going forward, if you question the resiliency of this team, then you haven’t really been watching.”