COLUMBIA, Mo. — It seemed no amount of trickery could help Iowa State (6-6, 3-5 in Big 12) to a win over Missouri (7-4, 3-4), as the Tigers won 34-24 Saturday in Columbia, Mo.

For Iowa State, the game was a chance at a bowl-clinching seventh win, but the Cyclones came up short on offense and defense late in the game.

“When you come out in a game that becomes a shooting match you’ve got to be able to match them,” ISU coach Paul Rhoads said. “You’ve got to gain field position back … and you’ve got to be able to put points up on the scoreboard and we did not get that done in the second 30 minutes of football.”

Iowa State led the game 17–10 after halftime, riding important plays that resulted in touchdowns.

In the first quarter, Iowa State tied the game at seven on a 10-yard pass from running back Alexander Robinson to Jake Williams. Robinson took a pitch to the right before throwing the ball up to Williams in the end zone, who fought off a Missouri defender for the touchdown.

Then, with just over 30 seconds left in the first half, ISU quarterback Austen Arnaud scrambled away from pressure and threw the ball deep to sophomore Darius Darks, who battled through a defensive pass interference call to make the touchdown grab.

“At times [the offense was] productive and executed with great precision and moved the ball down the field,” Rhoads said. “Then, obviously, they stalled.”

The offense did stall in the second half, only scoring seven points on another trick play — the Cyclones’ third such play of the game — that ended with offensive lineman Scott Haugton rumbling into the end zone.

The defense also struggled in the second half.

Twice Missouri scored on plays of 60-plus yards; a 70-yard strike from Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert to Jerrell Jackson and a 63-yard catch and run from Missouri wideout Danario Alexander.

Rhoads talked about his defenses struggles containing the big play in the game, something the unit had contained well in its first 11 contests.

“A lot of yards were gained down the field,” Rhoads said. “They kept us on our heels quite a bit with good play selection, good rhythm and when you’re facing a team like this, you’ve got to get them out of a rhythm.”

Gabbert was rarely out of a rhythm in any of the game, as he finished 23-of-32 passing for 337 yards and two touchdowns.

Alexander piled up 11 catches for 173 yards and the third quarter touchdown.

However, it wasn’t just the passing game that gave Iowa State trouble.

The Tigers outgained Iowa State on the ground 202-77, gaining those yards among Gabbert and two running backs.

“I’m disappointed in our run defense,” Rhoads said. “I don’t know what the final numbers where but they were able to make too many positive yards off of the running game.”

Still, with the defenses troubles, the game was tied at 24 going into the fourth quarter, when Missouri’s offense and defense would begin working to keep Iowa State at bay.

“24 points is a good output, but wasn’t enough against this football team that was obviously going to put points on the board,” Rhoads said.

The Iowa State offense seemed to get back to playing the way it was before Arnaud was injured against Baylor in October, but still only managed 336 total yards.

Arnaud was effective through most of the game, going 28-of-40 passing for 249 yards and a touchdown, but he also threw two poorly timed interceptions.

“We played well for the most part, just critical turnovers on my part. Things I can’t do to beat a tough Missouri team,” Arnaud said. “We did sustain drives all day like we should have.”

in the fourth quarter, Missouri got a 38-yard field goal to go up 27–24 and then a one-yard touchdown run with 4:43 left to play that essentially sealed the deal for the Tigers.

The Cyclones are now 6–0 this season in games in which they allow 23 points or fewer while they are 0–6 if they allow 24 or more.

“It was a great fourth quarter win,” Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said. “You don’t want to be in the final quarter and have to win football games, but those kinds of wins help you the rest of the year and next.”