Texas Tech found a way to win. Again. This time in dramatic fashion over the No. 11 team in the country, Iowa State, in Ames.

A game of twists and turns, here are the takeaways from the action...

Challenged time and time again to put a better product on the field, defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter’s group made Saturday’s game well worth their time.

To this point in the season, the Cyclones had not lost a fumble, and had not lost a fumble since their Farmageddon matchup a year ago.

Jacob Rodriguez, who has made the punch out maneuver his calling card, pulled it out once again to force a fumble in the third quarter.

This was ISU’s second turnover of the game– quarterback Rocco Becht was hit by Ben Roberts and skied a ball that Adonis McCarty fielded.

Mirroring the “bend, don’t break” attitude that has been a defining aspect of DeRuyter’s defenses since he took over, the Red Raiders hunkered down repeatedly. Despite giving up big plays here and there, Tech only allowed touchdowns on two of the Cyclones’ 13 drives.

Zach Kittley’s unit did not see the same kind of success at DeRuyter’s Saturday, save for the offense’s first two drives of the game and the dying moments.

Behren Morton came out firing, completing eight of his first nine passes. Had it not been for an arguable offensive pass interference on Coy Eakin, the Red Raiders were well on their way to a 14-point start.

After taking a field goal on the second drive of the game, the result of Eakin’s penalty, Tech punted on four of its next six drives, with two Morton interceptions sprinkled in during the final minutes of the first half.

A defining moment of the game was when the Red Raiders drove 98 yards in 12 plays, capped off by an absurd Josh Kelly catch in the end zone from 19 yards out. It was a frustrating day for the unit.

The offensive line turned in another less-than-perfect performance, while the Cyclones signature “drop-8” coverage stifled any hopes of a deep aerial attack.

A sequence of erroneous coaching decisions on either sideline kept the game hanging in the balance late into the final minutes of the fourth quarter. Early in the ultimate stanza, the Red Raiders drove down the field with a 17-16 lead and were aiming to extend the advantage.

A trifecta of runs from Tahj Brooks came up one yard short of the line to gain, setting up a fourth-and-one to go on the ISU 39. Confusion ensued and the play clock expired– Tech was assessed a delay of game, making the line to gain six yards.

Head coach Joey McGuire opted to push the offense on the field instead of punting, an attempt that was ultimately done in vain.

The ensuing ISU drive found the Cyclones in at the Red Raider 33 yard line, facing a third-and-10 and the prospect of kicking the go-ahead field goal. Rather than give Becht the opportunity to gain yardage through the air, the Cyclones put the ball squarely in his hands on a designed run, resulting in a one-yard loss.

The 51-yard kick was well off the mark.

The Red Raiders held the ball for a mere 46 seconds with the chance to bleed the clock, and ISU found paydirt two minutes later to take a 22-17 advantage.

With backs against the wall, Morton orchestrated a 12-play, 71 yard drive, converting a critical fourth down to Josh Kelly to keep the ball rolling.

From the five yard line, the direct snap went to Tahj Brooks with Jalin Conyers serving a massive lead block for Brooks to score the game-winning touchdown.

As was the case two years ago, Texas Tech gained bowl eligibility in dramatic fashion with a win over Iowa State. On the heels of back-to-back losses that came in devastating fashion, the Red Raiders responded with a major upset win over one of the Big 12’s premier teams.

It will be the fourth consecutive bowl appearance for the Red Raiders, a feat that has not been accomplished since the Mike Leach era.

Another test awaits McGuire’s crew, with one of the most explosive offensive units coming to the 806 in the form of Deion Sanders’ Colorado squad. Kick off against the Buffaloes is slated for 3:00 p.m. in Lubbock.