Chris Level: This may sound too cliche but the Red Raiders just need to keep fighting and grinding away at it. If they play like they have in recent weeks then they will be just fine against Iowa State and Baylor.

The penalties are down, the takeaways are up and the offense was much more efficient against Oklahoma State than it was against Texas. If Texas Tech keeps that up, that should be enough to cause some problems for a Cyclone team averaging just 24 points a game and a Baylor squad led by a true freshman quarterback.

That assumes, of course, that the Red Raiders can continue to get something -- anything -- from their running game. That's not a safe assumption as the team doesn't have many healthy options left at this point.

The trip to Ames might actually be tougher than the game in Arlington because of the elements and Iowa State continues to play hard for their first year coach Matt Campbell.

Aaron Dickens: The 'how' is pretty simple to understand, but executing it over the home stretch of the season will be much more difficult.

If Texas Tech can replicate its performance in Stillwater this weekend in Ames and next week in Arlington, then the Red Raiders will salvage what's left of their season and finish 6-6. What does that mean? The defense needs to continue to rise up in key moments and force stops or field goal attempts. The offense needs to have some hint of run-pass balance -- this objective has been made more difficult due to a rash of injuries at running back --and Pat Mahomes must continue to play within himself and within the offense.

Like most things, that's all easier said than done. Texas Tech has zero margin for error at this point. Considering how five of the team's last six games were decided by one possession, a handful of bad series in the next two games could be the difference between a 6-6 season and a 4-8 mark.

Will McKay: This is going to sound corny, but it's true: Stay hanging tough.

If anything, the Red Raiders have found resiliency in the second half of 2016, finding a way to have the ball on the last possession to tie the game against Texas, TCU and Oklahoma State the last three weeks in a row.

In fact, they've gotten into the redzone on the final offensive possession in all three games, scoring and then beating the Horned Frogs in overtime, scoring but painfully missing the extra point to tie against the Pokes and throwing a pick into the endzone against the Longhorns.

Regardless of the outcome, this team has shown the want to and toughness to win late in games.

They do that and find some consistency offensively against Iowa State and Baylor, and Tech's going bowling.

Drew Kohnle: Texas Tech's winning formula is pretty simple in concept but isn't always so easy in execution for this team. The Texas and Oklahoma State games showed three very important things for this team's success: Pat Mahomes playing within the system, establishing a run game and, on defense, rising up and getting stops at critical points.

Against Texas, a very winnable game was lost due in part to Mahomes not playing within the system.

Last week against Oklahoma State, the Red Raiders were competitive for four quarters in large part due to the team's relative success on the ground (44 total rushes, an emerging Felton) and Mahomes ability to take what the Cowboy defense was given to him.

The defense was far, far from great against Texas and Oklahoma State, but in both of those games the offense had a shot right there till the end, even with the defensive woes.

Matt Clare: Texas Tech has to pressure the quarterback on defense and at least attempt to stop the run. The team is playing better overall, but the mistakes and lack of consistency continue to plague the Red Raiders late in games.

This all depends on the health and availability of certain players, but the Red Raiders should be able to move the football against both Iowa State and Baylor. The offense has to run the football and Mahomes needs to do Mahomes things when needed to move the chains, score touchdowns.

I know a lot of people joke online about how the coaches should never punt, never kick a field goal, always go for the two-point conversion. Well, maybe that isn't realistic after one missed extra point to tie the game in regulation, but doesn't it make you a little more curious when looking at a 4-6 record with only two games left?