AMES — Homecoming festivities were spoiled for a second straight year in Ames as Iowa State football dropped its third straight contest and fell to BYU, 41-27, on Oct. 25.
The Cyclones had a 24-17 lead at halftime, but the Cougars were resilient and eventually took the lead for good in the fourth quarter.
Rocco Becht had his first career three-interception game. He completed 24 of 36 passes for 311 yards. Carson Hansen had 152 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries. Abu Sama added 63 yards off nine carries. Brett Eskildsen caught a 75-yard touchdown pass. Ben Brahmer chipped in five receptions for 75 yards, while Gabe Burkle had five catches for 44 yards.
Here is a report card from the game:
Offense
Grade: C
Iowa State was much more effective offensively compared to its previous performance against Colorado, especially in the first half. But costly turnovers and miscues dampened a promising start for the Cyclones.
Quarterback Rocco Becht connected with Brett Eskildsen for a 75-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the game. Iowa State went on to score points in each of its first three drives, and it was the first time the Cyclones accomplished that against a Big 12 opponent since a lopsided win over Kansas on Oct. 2, 2021. The Cyclones also amassed 318 first-half yards, the most since 2022.
The promising start came to an end on Iowa State’s fourth possession of the game. The Cyclones were marching deep into BYU territory and a touchdown would’ve given the Cyclones a three-score lead and a field goal would have expanded their lead to 13 points. Instead, Becht threw his first interception of the game, a ball that sailed right into the hands of the BYU defense, but a defensive lineman was officially credited with a tip that led to the pick.
The Cyclones recovered on the next possession and got a touchdown just before the halftime break.
In the second half, Iowa State struggled to match the momentum it built offensively to start the game. A promising 65-yard rush by Carson Hansen gave the Cyclones first-and-goal, but a holding penalty, an incomplete pass and a botched snap forced Iowa State to settle for a field goal.
Becht also threw his first pick-six of the season at an inopportune time, right after BYU found paydirt following a Cyclones’ error on special teams. The fourth-quarter interception return for a touchdown by Faletau Satuala gave BYU a two-touchdown cushion and sapped any momentum from the Cyclones.
He would throw a third interception in a desperate attempt to salvage the game in the closing minutes.
Hansen was a bright spot, though. He had 152 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries in his first game back since suffering a concussion midway through the Cincinnati game on Oct. 4.
Despite the turnovers, the Cyclones outgained BYU, 495-410.
Defense
Grade: C-
The BYU offense was undoubtedly a formidable one, and it looked like the Cyclones initially settled down after giving up an opening-drive touchdown to the Cougars, forcing back-to-back punts.
The Cyclones were putting pressure on true freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier. They were aggressive at the point of attack and with their run-stopping efforts. It also helped having Big 12-leading rusher L.J. Martin exit the game after the first quarter with an injury.
However, Iowa State was unable to stop the Cougars. Between the second and third quarters, BYU scored on four straight possessions. The Cougars were able to stay within reach during the Cyclones’ hot start on offense, and Iowa State was unable to close the door on them. BYU got a last-minute scoring drive before the break and kept it a one-touchdown game at half. It received the ball to start in the second half and got a field goal, and followed up with a touchdown.
Iowa State got a field goal to tie it up briefly late in the third quarter, but BYU kept building momentum until it took the lead for good.
The Iowa State defense had two sacks, but didn’t force any turnovers. It allowed 410 yards of total offense. With Martin out, Bachmeier picked up the slack and finished with 307 passing yards and two touchdowns. He also had 12 carries for 49 yards and a touchdown. Parker Kingston had seven receptions for 133 yards and two scores, while Chase Roberts added eight catches for 128 yards.
Special teams
Grade: C-
Kyle Konrardy returning from injury was an immediate boost for the Cyclones. Imagine if they were forced to go for it on that fourth-and-goal situation from 25 yards out in the third quarter? Konrardy didn’t handle kickoffs, but he made both of his field-goal attempts from 36 and 43 yards out. He also successfully converted on each of his point-after attempts.
Chase Smith also returned after tweaking his hamstring against Colorado. He handled kickoff duties before being relieved by Carson Rhodes. Kickoffs were a shaky part of the game and the ball didn’t come close to the opposing goal line. In one instance, the ball flew out of bounds. However, BYU didn’t have any big returns.
The most notable special teams event occurred when the Cyclones were attempting to return a punt in the closing seconds of the third quarter. While most Cyclone players on the return unit scattered away from the ball, Beni Ngoyi remained engaged with a defender and the ball bounced off his foot and was recovered by BYU. The Cougars capitalized on this crucial error with a touchdown a few plays later and regained the lead for good.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa State football report card after Cyclones lose vs BYU
Reporting by Eugene Rapay, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
