The Cyclones took a 16-13 victory over the Hawkeyes, following a dominant 55-7 victory over South Dakota. Iowa State’s agenda quickly changed to putting Iowa to rest. 

Through a game full of opportunities and challenges, the team found its way to claim a victory that put the team in a place of newfound rivalry success. 

Small offensive strides paired with strict defense give Iowa State a first-half advantage.

Throughout the first half, the Cyclones held the lead over Iowa with a score of 13-10.

A standout star from the start was redshirt sophomore kicker Kyle Konrardy, who opened up the scoring with a 44-yard field goal on Iowa State’s drive. Konrardy quickly followed with another successful 27-yard field goal.

With a slight lead over the Hawkeyes, the Cyclones’ defense shut out any chance for an even game in the first quarter.

Iowa went zero for three on its first three-quarter drives, resulting in three punts on fourth down, along with zero for five on first downs in the quarter.

Sophomore defensive back Marcus Neal Jr. ended the first quarter with an electric sack to fire up the Cyclones as the second quarter approached.

Despite the shutout, Iowa struck back with a field goal on its second-quarter opening drive.

With a newfound fuel, the Hawkeyes began to make moves that built a comeback.

As the comeback felt close, Iowa State had to stand its ground to take control of the game. Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell valued the self-composure of this team.

“When adversity hits … to not flinch and just keep playing. I think our kids did a great job of that today,” Campbell said. 

Throughout the quarter, the Hawkeyes continued to inch closer to scoring but continued to come up short. 

As that energy continued to fuel Iowa, Iowa State’s senior defensive back Jeremiah Cooper found the opportunity to intercept the ball and make a return for 24 yards.

The Cyclones soared with this newfound wave of energy to score the first touchdown of the game at 4:50 in the second quarter.

Redshirt junior quarterback Rocco Becht’s 2-yard pass connected with junior tight end Benjamin Brahmer for the touchdown.

With a 13-3 lead in the quarter, Iowa knew that time was ticking for a comeback. At the 27-second mark in the second quarter, Iowa’s quarterback Mark Gronowski scored a 2-yard rushing touchdown.  

The half concluded with a 13-10 lead for the Cyclones.

A shaky third-quarter performance by Iowa ties things up at 13. 

Opening the second half with a three-point lead meant that the Cyclones had to come up big to solidify the temporary lead.

With an opening drive that was dominated by Iowa’s defense, the game shifted in its favor.

Going into the game, the Cyclones looked to be the victors, but with a strong game for the Hawkeyes, these big games serve as learning lessons. 

“I mean, we’re not always going to be perfect, but we know when we’re not… I think the greatest thing about this team is we’re always looking for ways to get better,” Becht said.

As the game progressed, Iowa State began to slip during crucial moments that allowed Iowa to slide into and complete a comeback.

The Cyclones held possession for seven minutes and four seconds in the third quarter, but couldn’t make anything connect to score.

A game that flipped from being in favor of Iowa State appeared to hit a slowdown as both sides of the ball continued to enter a slump.

With four minutes and 28 seconds left in the quarter, the Hawkeyes’ kicker completed a 36-yard field goal to tie things up as the fourth quarter approached.

Konrardy’s outstanding performance cements Iowa State’s nail-biting victory

Going into the final 15 minutes of the game meant anything could happen. In a game that looked in favor of Iowa State, the Cyclones found a way to balance out in a way to create a scene similar to last year’s game.

The Hawkeyes opened the fourth quarter with possession, but ultimately, with the eight-minute stint, all they could produce was yet another punt. With the ball back in Iowa State’s possession, small strides continued to push for a scoring chance.

A 17-yard pass from Becht to redshirt junior tight end Gabe Burkle made the dream a reality as a deflection catch pushed for the game-clinching field goal.

Campbell began to notice that the depth in the Hawkeyes’ game was going to cause a downfall, but in a holy grail moment, the third-quarter slump simply disappeared with the 17-yard pass.

“Right place, right time, a hundred percent of it. I was running my route, the ball wasn’t supposed to be to me on that play … I looked back and it came right at me and I was like, let’s see if I can go get it, “ Burkle said.

That pass led to setting Konrardy up for a familiar 54-yard field goal attempt. It turned into the game-clinching play. 

With one final possession set for the Hawkeyes, nothing sparked, and the only connection made was Gronowski on the ground as he was sacked twice in his final drive.

The game concluded with a 16-13 victory for Iowa State over Iowa. With the rivals laid to rest, the next item on the agenda is taking on Arkansas State.

The Cyclones will take on the Red Wolves with a 3:00 p.m. kickoff, in Jonesboro, Arkansas.