JT Toppin-less No. 16 Texas Tech forges on at No. 4 Iowa State

No game in the Big 12 Conference rates as a breathe-easy tuneup because most teams are capable of jumping up and biting one of the league's frontrunners on any given night.

So, taking the first two steps of the rest of the season without preseason All-American JT Toppin were by no means easy outings for No. 16 Texas Tech.

The third step in that process certainly looms as the toughest yet, though, with a road trip north to face No. 4 Iowa State on Saturday in Ames, Iowa.

The Red Raiders (21-7...