HOUSTON – It was the ISU season in a nutshell.

Down, then up, down, then up, and finally down again.

A rollercoaster Cyclone season ended just the same, a rollercoaster Houston Bowl loss to No. 14 TCU, 27-24.

“You have to find some word to say,” ISU receiver Austin Flynn said. “After our fourth or fifth close loss, you still can’t find the words.

“It rips your heart out.”

Iowa State had five losses on the season; three in overtime, one by ten points and Saturday by three. In total, the Cyclones lost their five games by a combined 26 points.

TCU, on the other hand, wrapped up their 11th win of the year and will contend for a top-10 spot in the season’s final rankings.

“Anyone who wins 11 games and does it with the class that their program shows should be in the top-10, in my opinion,” ISU coach Dan McCarney said.

Coming into the game, TCU had showed a balanced offensive attack, and used their ground game to build an early lead.

Robert Merrill and Aaron Brown ran for first quarter touchdowns, pushing the Horned Frogs to a 14-0 lead before the first quarter was even half over. TCU scored on their first possession of the game, and got the ball right back when tight end Ben Barkema fumbled on ISU’s second play from scrimmage.

“You can’t spot a great team 14 points,” Flynn said. “You have to come out faster.”

But then, in true 2005 Cyclone fashion, Iowa State came roaring back, notching 17 unanswered points in the second quarter.

Quarterback Bret Meyer hit Todd Blythe with a 48-yard scoring strike and Jon Davis with a six-yard pass, vaulting ISU into the lead.

Blythe would record five catches on the game for 105 yards, good enough to earn the game’s offensive MVP honors.

TCU then went on another run, ending the half with 10 points to take a 24-17 lead into the locker room.

The second half would prove to be a frustrating one for Iowa State.

Iowa State started two drives in TCU territory, and three more within ten yards of the 50-yard line, but could only manage a touchdown in the second half.

“We have always been good against the run,” TCU coach Gary Patterson said. “They helped us by coming out throwing. They didn’t seem to run as much as they did in other games.”

The Cyclones gained just 34 yards on the ground, with Meyer accounting for 27 of those yards. Running back Stevie Hicks was completely ineffective, rushing for -1 yard on nine carries.

ISU scored on Blythe’s second touchdown of the game, a 22 yard grab from Meyer. It was the ninth touchdown of the season for Blythe, tying his own ISU single-season record.

The catch also tied the game at 24, keeping the Cyclones in the ballgame, even though their offense was sputtering.

Both teams traded possessions until Peter LoCoco kicked what proved to be a game-winning 44-yard field goal.

Entering the game, LoCoco had made just three of his eight field goal attempts on the season.

The Cyclones were given one more chance to win or tie the game, but forced to punt with 3:19 remaining. TCU moved the ball for two first downs before running out the clock.

Houston native Jason Berryman swept the individual game honors for the Cyclones, taking home the defensive MVP award.

Berryman had 12 tackles and five sacks on the game.

“I think it was Jason’s best game,” McCarney said. “Jason and Todd are two of the best players in college football, in my eyes, and they’re only sophomores.”

Berryman said the game was played for Iowa State’s seniors, who were suiting up for the final time in Cardinal and Gold.

“I played for the seniors today,” Berryman said. “We are a close family at Iowa State and I wanted for us to get a win for them before they left. When we were down, the seniors stepped up and said it was time to play Cyclone ball.

“We win as a family and lose as a family.”