ESPN.com - Instant analysis: Texas 33, Iowa State 7

ESPN.com: Texas Longhorns

Saturday, November 10, 2012
Instant analysis: Texas 33, Iowa State 7

By Carter Strickland

Texas followed up its two-game losing streak with three straight conference wins, the latest a 33-7 win over Iowa State at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium Saturday. With the win the Longhorns (8-2, 5-2) reached eight wins, the same total they had in all of 2011. Iowa State (5-5, 2-5) is still one win away from bowl eligibility but does have Kansas still on the schedule.

It was over when: Texas put its third first-half touchdown on the board when quarterback David Ash hit Barrett Matthews on a 3-yard strike. The score gave Texas a 20-0 lead. Anthony Fera missed the extra point. While the Longhorns defense has not been stellar, a 20-point cushion was more than enough for Texas to be able to control the rest of the game.

Stat of the game: Ash was 13-of-14 for 245 yards and two touchdowns in the first half. The sophomore quarterback hit his first eight passes, one of which was a 61-yard touchdown to Mike Davis. That is the second week in a row Ash has hit Davis for a deep touchdown pass. Last week, Ash hit Davis for a 75-yard score.

Stat of the game, part 2: The Longhorns rolled up 611 yards and averaged 8.0 yards per play. It's the second time this season the Longhorns have topped 600 yards. They had 676 in a win against Ole Miss. On the flip side, Iowa State managed just 277 yards. That's the second time in the last three games that Texas has limited an opponent to less than 300 total yards. Kansas had just 273.

Game ball goes to: Texas running back Joe Bergeron. The sophomore has been the second, third or fourth option with the emergence of Johnathan Gray, Daje Johnson and D.J. Monroe. But Texas continued to go to Bergeron against Iowa State and he continued to produce. Bergeron averaged 7.2 yards per carry and totaled 86 yards. Bergeron's ability to move the ball allowed Texas to get in a position on second and third down and open up the playbook.

What it means for Texas: The Longhorns can still hold on to the hope that the season could end with a BCS game. The chances are remote and rely on Kansas State and Oklahoma losing games in which they are favored. The more likely scenario for Texas is to split the last two games and finish with a Cotton or Alamo Bowl berth.

What it means for Iowa State: The Cyclones are still searching for their sixth win. They travel to Kansas next week in what should be their best opportunity to get that win.