In a game that started shaky, No. 11 Iowa State found its footing after a 60-yard touchdown from senior wide receiver Jaylin Noel got the team off the ground.
From there, the Cyclones were able to lean on sophomore running back Carson Hansen and a strong defensive performance to secure not just bowl eligibility but also their best start since 1938.
Iowa State is now 6-0 overall and 3-0 in the Big 12 Conference.
Here are takeaways from Iowa State’s 28-16 win over West Virginia in Morgantown.
Carson Hansen leads the way in the run game
When it comes to this Cyclones team, any of the three running backs can lead the way any given week.
Last week against Baylor, it was senior Jaylon Jackson who led Iowa State with 107 yards on the ground. The week before against Houston, sophomore Abu Sama III led the team with 101 rushing yards. This week it was Hansen’s turn to lead the way.
Jackson and Sama were struggling from the start of the game and the offensive staff took notice, as Hansen became the clear lead back in this game. Sama and Jackson combined for 14 carries for just 25 yards, while Hansen had 96 yards and three touchdowns on 20 carries.
Hansen was a huge part of a 17-play, 91-yard touchdown drive that took 8:08 off the clock. On the drive, Hansen ran the ball five times for 37 yards and capped the drive off with an 11-yard touchdown, his first of the night.
His second touchdown came in an even bigger spot. After a defensive holding penalty that kept the Cyclones drive alive, Hansen ran in a touchdown from three yards out to put Iowa State up 21-10.
His third touchdown put the game away. Hansen punched the ball in from two yards out to put the Cyclones up 28-10, effectively ending the game.
In a running back room that has been filled with intrigue, Hansen has been quietly making his case as Iowa State’s top running back, especially over the last two weeks. The true sophomore running back was coming off a career-high 97 rushing yards on 6.5 yards per carry in last week’s win over Baylor and followed that up with an even better performance in this game.
Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel shine once again
Through the air, it was once again Higgins and Noel leading the way.
The pair combined for 11 catches, 179 yards and a touchdown, while all other receivers combined for just seven receptions for 96 yards.
Noel was the one that got the offense started. It felt as though the air had been sucked out of the game after the Mountaineers had their first two drives go a combined 25 plays, taking a total of 12:06 off the clock.
But, just three plays after West Virginia missed a field goal that could’ve put them up 10-0, Noel took a pass from quarterback Rocco Becht 60 yards for a touchdown, tying the game at seven.
The touchdown tied Noel with former Iowa State greats Breece Hall and Hakeem Butler for the most 50-yard touchdowns by a Cyclone since 1971 with seven. Though he only had 17 yards outside of that, finishing with five catches for 77 yards, he without a doubt is the one that woke the Cyclones up.
Higgins was also big in this game, despite the fact that his record-breaking seven consecutive games with a receiving touchdown streak came to an end. He hauled in a team-high six catches for 102 yards.
The pair of Higgins and Noel has been amazing this season, as both passed the 500-yard receiving mark in this game. The problem is they have essentially been the only two options that show up on a consistent basis.
Sophomore tight end Benjamin Brahmer is third on the team in receiving yards, with just 160 yards. He was quiet against West Virginia, with just one catch for 15 yards.
Junior wide receiver Eli Green had two big back-to-back catches in the third quarter for 46 yards. He has not been targeted too much but may have started to emerge as another receiving option.
The Cyclones will more than likely need to find more production from other receivers if they hope to keep their winning streak alive.
Second-half interceptions pave the way to victory
West Virginia quarterback Garrett Greene played well in this game. He had 206 yards and a touchdown through the air and led his team in rushing yards with 87 on 10 attempts.
Unfortunately for Greene, his strong performance will be overshadowed by his two second-half interceptions that put Iowa State in prime position to win the game.
The Mountaineers had the ball at the Cyclones 29-yard line, down 10-14, looking to take the lead back with a touchdown. Greene dropped back to pass and was intercepted by sophomore defensive back Jamison Patton, the second of Patton’s career.
Iowa State then turned the turnover into points, going 65 yards in 10 plays to score a touchdown, making the game 21-10.
On the next drive, West Virginia desperately needed to get points on the board to get back in the game. Instead, on just the second play of the drive, Greene threw his second interception of the night, this one a tipped pass to redshirt sophomore defensive back Jontez Williams.
This was Williams’ third consecutive game with an interception, with all of them coming in the second half.
The Cyclones once again made the Mountaineers pay for their mistakes, on another 10-play drive that went 33 yards for a touchdown, making the game 28-10 and essentially putting West Virginia away.
