ORLANDO, Fla. — The Iowa State Cyclones were just 84 yards away from achieving a historic 11th victory, a scenario they had been training for diligently since January. The difference this year, according to head coach Matt Campbell, lies in the leadership and resilience displayed by his players, especially quarterback Rocco Becht, who showed immense determination to make history for the team.
Fifteen plays later, which included four scoring plays of 20 or more yards and touchdowns on eight of the first nine drives, the game culminated in a nail-biting finish. Becht sprinted across the goal line for the decisive touchdown with only 53 seconds remaining, leading the No. 18 Cyclones to a thrilling 42-41 triumph over No. 13 Miami in the Pop-Tarts Bowl. This victory marked Iowa State’s first 11-win season, solidifying a defining moment in the program’s history.
“We’ve been in those situations before,” Becht remarked. “We practice it all the time. I think our team has the poise and the confidence to execute in the biggest moments. And that’s what we did.”
The Cyclones, now finished at 11-3 for the season, had already demonstrated their knack for late-game heroics against UCF and Utah. They engineered an 80-yard, 11-play drive to defeat UCF with Becht scoring on a one-yard rush with just 30 seconds left, and a 75-yard, 10-play march to victory against Utah, capped by a one-yard run from Carson Hansen with 1:31 on the clock. These clutch performances helped propel Iowa State to the Big 12 Championship game for only the second time in the program’s history, though a setback with a 45-19 loss to Arizona State prevented them from entering the College Football Playoff.
In the bowl game, the Cyclones made a powerful statement, capping off a memorable season that etched their name in the annals of Iowa State history. “This team has faced a lot of adversity from some really tough injuries that we’ve had to deal with all year. They never flinched,” Campbell stated. “Our ability to just keep playing. You only do that if the locker room demands it and the seniors who lead the football team show up every single day since January and believe in that and work.”
Becht, who was honored as the game’s MVP, completed 22 of 35 passes for 270 yards and three touchdowns, also notching the game-winning score. Jaylin Noel was instrumental with eight receptions totaling 117 yards and one touchdown, while Carson Hansen contributed significantly with 82 rushing yards and two scores on 16 carries.
The entire squad was pivotal in this historic win, with the defense putting the final touches on the victory by intercepting backup quarterback Emory Williams’ Hail Mary attempt in the dying seconds.
“Losing leadership for the ages is tough,” said Campbell. “We hope the next group learns from the great leaders and has the ability when their time comes to carry on what greatness looks like.” Campbell has guided Iowa State to bowl games in seven of the last eight seasons, a remarkable achievement considering the program had only seen eight bowl appearances in the previous 16 years.
“I love this team so much,” expressed Noel. “I love Coach for everything he has done for me. This team means the world to me. There’s no better way to go out than as a champion.”
