The ISU football team got the offensive output that it had been looking for after its last two games, but they could not slow down the Texas A&M offense Saturday, losing 49-35 in front of a crowd of 45,495.

Iowa State out-gained the Aggies 574-510, but three missed field goals by freshman kicker Grant Mahoney, coupled with a defense that only stopped A&M three times, did in the Cyclones.

Coach Gene Chizik said third downs, where A&M was 11 of 14, told the story for the game.

“They really exploited us everywhere,” Chizik said. “They really had their way with us all night; at the end of the day, if you can’t play defense well, you can’t win.”

The Aggies were not stopped in the first half, taking an 11-point lead into the locker room, which, despite a spirited effort, the Cyclones could not overcome in the second stanza.

Quarterback Austen Arnaud said some key mistakes bogged the offense, who was playing catch-up all night, down a little bit.

“We were pretty much scoring at will tonight,” Arnaud said. “We could have scored fifty points in that game; it’s just that we didn’t execute to our full ability.

The two teams combined for over 1000 yards of offense and Arnaud had his first 300-yard passing game of his career, going 26 for 41 for 371 yards, passing for one touchdown and running for another. Jerrod Johnson of Texas A&M went 31 for 39 for 381 yards, throwing for four touchdowns and running one in as well.

The Cyclones did get their first stop of the game on the first series of the second half but were pinned on their own 2-yard line after a punt.

Iowa State went on a 89-yard march but a Darius Darks drop inside the 10 forced the Cyclones to bring on Mahoney again and his field goal made it 28-20.

The Aggies answered in hurry, though, with a eight-play, 73-yard drive that was capped by a Jovorskie Lane one-yard run to extend the lead back out to two scores.

Texas A&M started to hammer the nail into the Cyclone coffin after Arnaud fumbled the ball and A&M recovered at its 48 by converting that into a touchdown.

The Cyclones did drive 80 yards to score on an Arnaud touchdown run and got the two-point conversion but that was all for not. Iowa State did appear to recover the ensuing onside kick, but the ball was controversially awarded back to Texas A&M. The two teams traded scores, with Arnaud hitting Collin Franklin for a two-yard score to close out the scoring.

Texas A&M’s last touchdown was aptly scored on third down.

“Third downs killed us,” linebacker Fred Garrin said. “Their quarterback was mobile so he could sit in the pocket and he moved around some.”

Iowa State looked good on its first series, driving 79 yards to go ahead 7-0. Alexander Robinson ran for 49 yards a score on the drive, including a 32-yard sprint from the new “Wildcat” formation, where he lined up at quarterback.

The Aggies promptly 74 yards right back down the field to knot the score, however. Johnson hit Terrance McCoy wide open 35 yards down the middle after a series of successful runs.

The Cyclones drove deep into Aggie territory on the next series, but, after Grant Mahoney missed a field goal, A&M again drove down and scored with Johnson hitting Jamie McCoy from 37 yards out this time.

Iowa State ran the ball well once again on the next series, with a Arnaud 26-yard run setting up a Jason Scales one-yard plunge to tie the score.

Johnson picked up his third touchdown pass of the game on the next series to give the Aggies another lead at 21-14, and, after another Mahoney miss, the Aggies took a two touchdown lead on a Cyrus Gray 27-yard touchdown run where he sprinted untouched up the middle.

The Cyclones were able to get a field goal from Mahoney to make it 28-17 at the half, with a little help from A&M. Arnaud threw a pass to the Aggie 30 as time ran out but was roughed giving Iowa State an untimed down where they kicked the field goal. In an offensive first half, Iowa State did outgain the Aggies 300-275.