College football games don’t finish much more lopsided than the one at Iowa State late in the 2016 season.
The Cyclones, 2-8 under first-year coach Matt Campbell, toyed with their opponent, rolling up nine touchdowns and 608 total yards. The 66-10 final unfolded like one of those early season non-conference tuneups.
But the losing side on that cold, blustery day in Ames, Iowa wasn’t a directional school getting drummed for a payday, but fellow Big 12 foe Texas Tech, led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes — who was playing in his next-to-last college game.
The Red Raiders entered the game as a 3 1/2-point favorite, and with a 4-6 record they needed victories in their final two games to become bowl-eligible. Personally, Mahomes needed a victory in this game and two more (TTU’s season finale and bowl) to finish .500 as a starting quarterback in college.
Instead, Iowa State set a school record for points in a conference game and sent Texas Tech to the second-most lopsided defeat in school history.
“I remember it very well,” Mahomes told The Star. “It’s the worst loss I’ve ever been a part of.”
And, as it would turn out, the most fortuitous.
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