‘Through the dirt. Through the mud.’ That’s what Charlie Kolar said this senior class for Iowa State has been through.

It started with a 3-9 season for the 2020 senior class, another all-too-familiar record of losing, but now, four years later, Iowa State has been led to its first Big 12 Championship appearance in program history by the same seniors who have stayed the course since then.

Those seniors made their presence felt one last time in Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday in a 42-6 over West Virginia. Right from the opening drive in fact.

Brock Purdy dropped back to pass on Iowa State’s second play of the day when West Virginia’s defensive line broke through, forcing the junior to scramble. It looked like a potential throw-away situation, but Purdy found his senior tight end Chase Allen for a 31 yard pickup.

Later on the same drive, Allen caught a pass to convert on 4th down, a conversion that would keep the first drive alive and eventually lead to a Breece Hall 23 yard touchdown run to put Iowa State on top 7-0.

Iowa State Head Coach Matt Campbell said the success has started with this senior class from day one, not just this season, but now that the Cyclones are heading to Arlington, Texas, for a shot at a Big 12 crown, their impact is getting the credit it deserves.

“I think it’s really special, but I’ll also tell you, how is that any different than any game we’ve played this fall? In a lot of ways, that’s what this senior class has done, they’ve demanded excellence, they’ve demanded greatness, they’ve demanded to stay the course and the biggest plays and the moments have come from so many of those seniors,” Campbell said. “It’s really rewarding to finish the regular season the way we did here at home and those guys being able to do what they’ve done all year for this team and this program. I know from my end of it, I couldn’t be happier for each and every one of them.”

Late in the second quarter, Landen Akers, another Iowa State senior, scored his first career touchdown as a Cyclone. 

Akers’ quarterback, Brock Purdy, said that Akers’ humble approach to the game has made him one of his favorite teammates in his time in Ames. Purdy said he’s not the look-at-me type of guy, all Akers does is come to work and try and support his teammates along the way.

Purdy said all Akers does is show love. And after the touchdown, Purdy said it was clear how much the sixth-year senior is loved back.

“He’s just always a great human being, he cares about everybody here and obviously everyone cares about him,” Purdy said.

The very next drive for Iowa State on defense, senior defensive end Jaquan Bailey said hello to Jarret Doege and sacked the West Virginia quarterback, adding to his Iowa State all-time sacks record.

Bailey would finish his final home game with 25.5 career sacks, good for eighth in Big 12 history.

Back over on the offensive side of the ball, seniors were continuing to make big plays, with Kene Nwangwu’s third quarter touchdown run being the most obvious.

The 47 yard touchdown from Nwangwu was the fourth of his career and helped the senior running back finish with a career high 77 rushing yards on Senior Night.

But there are more examples of Iowa State seniors stepping up Saturday.

How about Greg Eisworth’s fourth down stop on T.J. Simmons as West Virginia made an attempt to make the game interesting to start the second half when the score was still 21-0? 

What about Lawrence White’s pass break up with 12 minutes left, forcing West Virginia to kick a field goal to make it a 35-3 game?

Kolar said those plays and the names of seniors that don’t grab headlines have been staying consistent long before the success of 2020. In year’s past, a lack of execution down the stretch has been present for this program, but Kolar said the senior leadership on and off the field has been the reason why the Cyclones have turned the corner.

Two of the biggest examples come from his fellow tight ends Allen and Dylan Soehner, both seniors and both leading by example for Kolar.

“I would die for those guys and they would do the same for me,” Kolar said.

So now as the Cyclones prepare for a trip to Arlington, Texas, for a shot at being on top of the Big 12 for the first time ever, what should this year’s senior class legacy be?

Kolar said there’s still games left to be played, but right now, a legacy would have to start with their commitment to sticking with the process through 3-9 seasons and long stretches of close but not close enough games.

In the end, Kolar said they’ll be viewed as culture changers and players who were willing to see it through tough times. Like he said before, through the mud.

“They stayed through the dirt, stayed through the mud.”