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Iowa State’s football team secured an impressive 29-21 victory over Kansas State, marking the program’s first-ever 10-win season. The game took place on Saturday night, and it was the Cyclones’ defense that stepped up significantly in the second half to help seal the win. Currently ranked No. 17, Iowa State finished the regular season with a record of 10-2, including 7-2 in the Big Ten Conference, putting them at No. 18 in the College Football Playoff rankings.
For Iowa State to clinch a place in the upcoming conference championship game against Arizona State, they needed BYU to defeat Houston, which added to the stakes of the matchup. Rocco Becht shone as a quarterback, throwing for two touchdown passes and contributing another touchdown on the ground. One of Becht’s key touchdown passes was a 15-yard throw to Jayden Higgins, which came after Myles Purchase recovered an errant pitch from Avery Johnson on the first scrimmage play. He also connected with Jaylin Noel for a 9-yard touchdown pass following a fumble recovery by Joey Petersen, leading Noel to surpass 1,000 receiving yards for the season.
Becht capped the first half with a 5-yard rushing touchdown, putting Iowa State ahead 24-14. A safety and a 20-yard field goal by Kyle Konrardy extended their lead to eight in the fourth quarter. Kansas State, who ended the game with an 8-4 record and ranked No. 24 in the CFP standings, struggled to maintain momentum. Following a failed drive at the Cyclones’ 35-yard line, they managed to regain possession with 1:11 on the clock but were unable to capitalize after Johnson was knocked out of the game on third down, leading to an incomplete pass on fourth-and-15.
Becht took a knee to run out the clock with fans flooding the field in celebration. K-State’s quarterback, Avery Johnson, had a noteworthy performance, throwing touchdown passes of 28 and 65 yards to Jayce Brown in the first half, and a 7-yard score to Garrett Oakley late in the third to bring K-State within three points at 24-21. Johnson finished the game with 220 passing yards and 64 rushing yards on 13 attempts, while Brown accumulated 106 yards on three catches.
A pivotal moment came for Iowa State’s defense when they stuffed DJ Giddens’s run, keeping K-State from scoring at the goal line. Jacob Ellis also chased Johnson into the end zone, resulting in a safety after Johnson was penalized for intentional grounding. The outcome reflected Kansas State’s missed opportunities, including two turnovers, a blocked field goal, and a safety, all of which contributed to their inability to spoil Iowa State’s historic night.
The victory not only crowned Iowa State with their milestone win but also secured a spot in a bowl game and potentially in the Big 12 Championship. Following the game, Iowa State fans have hopes to see the team rise in national rankings.
As for Kansas State, they will also be headed to a bowl game but will need to regroup after this disappointing conclusion to their season.
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