The hero or the goat – the two roles of a kicker.

Senior Bret Culbertson has been both through the past three seasons as a kicker with the ISU football team. On Saturday, with the game against Iowa in the balance, the former walk-on lined up to kick a 28-yard field goal with the potential to redefine his career and redirect the course of the Cyclones’ season.

Five seconds were left on the clock. Iowa State trailed 13-12 after Hawkeye kicker Austin Signor converted a 41-yard field goal try with 3:38 left in the fourth quarter.

After driving to the Iowa 11, Iowa State let the clock wind down to set up Culbertson for the game-winner. In the stands, thousands of fans crossed their fingers as he got set.

Affectionately known by teammates as “Shaggy” for his resemblance to the “Scooby-Doo” cartoon character, Culbertson is remembered by many for two misses that cost the Cyclones trips to Big 12 Championship games.

After scoring all of Iowa State’s points in Saturday’s 15-13 victory, the 6-foot-6-inch, brown-haired, goateed kicker was mobbed, congratulated and boosted into the air by fans.

“It’s tough to hear people talk about him,” said Rick Culbertson, Bret’s father, after the game. “They remember his misses, but not the ones he makes – but they might remember today.”

Culbertson converted four attempts from 31, 33, 42 and 40 yards in the first half on the Cyclones’ first four possessions, but came into the game having missed all three prior field goal attempts this season.

At one point, Culbertson was the most accurate kicker in Cyclone history. He still hasn’t missed an extra point, going 77-for-77 since being given the starting role midway through his freshman season.

“He’s had a lot of ups and downs since he’s been here, and I told him [Saturday], ‘Today is your day,'” said coach Gene Chizik. “He kicked off well, and we’ve been on him about producing, and today he produced.”

Culbertson said he was excited to take the final kick before he stepped on the field.

“Honestly, I wanted it bad,” he said. “I mean, when [Signor] made that kick, I knew our offense was going to get down there. I just, I wanted it so bad.”

He said advice from special teams coordinator Jay Boulware stuck with him during the game.

“Coach Boulware has talked to me about just visualizing the kick, visualizing the kick. Before you lay your head to sleep last night, just visualize that kick. If you miss it in your head, take it again, you know. I did that all night last night, and all this morning,” Culbertson said, pausing. “And then this afternoon.”

Culbertson is 33-for-46 on field goals in his career, which gives him the third-best field goal percentage in school history. He trails Adam Benike, who started during the 2002-03 season, for the title of the school’s most accurate kicker.

Benike was 88-of-97 (.907) on field goals and PATs, while Culbertson is 110-of-123 (.894). He would have to make 18 straight kicks to move past Benike.

Culbertson missed a 24-yarder against Missouri in 2004 with a minute of regulation play left in a 17-14 overtime loss that prevented the Cyclones from winning the Big 12 North outright. In 2005, he again missed a kick that could have won the Big 12 North; this time it was a 41-yard field goal in overtime of a 24-21 loss to Kansas.

“That’s why, I mean, you never quit, you never quit,” Culbertson said. “I’ve missed some big ones. I’m still here. The whole team is still here.”

After the game, players said they were happy for the Culbertson to get his chance.

“We have always had faith in Shags,” junior offensive guard Tom Schmeling said. “Every day out there in practice, he’s knocking them down, knocking them down, so I’ve never doubted him on a kick. I never have, and I never will again, for sure.”