Iowa State rallies to beat West Virginia on the road
November 30, 2013
After a 34-0 shutout of Kansas in its home finale last week, Iowa State went on the road to West Virginia and ended its season on a high note Saturday.
The Cyclones (3-9, 2-7 Big 12) beat the Mountaineers (4-8, 2-7 Big 12) 52-44 in three overtimes Saturday in Morgantown, W.Va. in Iowa State’s first overtime game this season.
Redshirt freshman Grant Rohach played the entire game at quarterback for the Cyclones and was 25-of-39 passing for 331 yards, four touchdowns and one interception.
Iowa State won the game in comeback fashion after trailing West Virginia 31-7 in the second quarter. The Cyclones went into halftime down 31-14 after a 10-yard touchdown by Rohach to wide receiver Quenton Bundrage midway through the second period.
After a scoreless third quarter, the ISU offense started clicking. The Cyclones outscored the Mountaineers 24-7 in the fourth quarter with the game-tying 19-yard touchdown catch by wide receiver Justin Coleman from Rohach.
The catch was set up by an interception from ISU defensive back Jacques Washington, who recorded two picks in the win.
Iowa State and West Virginia traded field goals in the first and second overtimes bringing the score to 44-44. The Cyclones would pull it out in the third overtime.
On the first play of the third overtime, Rohach found Coleman on a 25-yard touchdown pass. The ISU offense stayed on the field for the 2-point conversion per the rules in the third overtime period, and Rohach found E.J. Bibbs for the score, putting Iowa State up 52-44.
The ISU defense stepped on the field for the final time this season and stopped the Mountaineers on a fourth-and-5 situation to secure the Cyclones’ third and final win of the season.