(Fort Worth, TX) — ADM Alum Aiden Flora returns a punt 79 yards for the go ahead score as Iowa St. broke a 4 game losing streak with a 20-17 win over TCU.
The win ended any hope of TCU going to the Big 12 Championship game. In addition to getting off the schneid, the win over the Horned Frogs made the Cyclones bowl eligible with their 6th win.
ISU had to overcome a 17-6 deficit to win the game. Iowa St. led 6-3 at the half but Josh Hoover connected with Jordan Dwyer on a 14 yard TD pass on their first drive of the 2nd half to take a 10-6 lead.
On Iowa St.’s first drive of the third quarter, Rocco Becht was picked off by Bud Clark in the red zone and it led to an 11 play, 92 yard Horned Frog drive that ended with a 2 yard TD run from Trent Battle to make it 17-6. The drive was helped by two Iowa St. pass interference calls.
The Cyclones answered on their next possession — Becht ran for 25 yards on 3rd and 4 and that was followed by a Carson Hanson 24 yard scamper to the TCU 20. ISU then pushed forward and on 3rd and Goal from the 1, Hanson got into the end zone — the 2 point conversion failed and it was 17-12 TCU.
TCU started their next drive at their own 21 yard line but on 3rd and 3, Hoover’s pass was broken up by Drew Surges. The Horned Frogs punted and drove Flora back to nearly his own 20 yard line. The redshirt freshman from Adel, Iowa was able to get through traffic and outraced everybody right between the hashmarks for a 71 yard punt return for a TD. It was Flora’s 2nd ever collegiate touchdown and his first ever return — either punt or kickoff — for a score.
The Horned Frogs got the ball back with 6:26 left. Jeremy Payne was able to break a long run but was stripped by Tre Bell and recovered by Surges at the ISU 29 for a huge turnover.
The game was not over yet — Iowa St. faced a huge 4th and 1 at their own 40 yard line and Head Coach Matt Campbell decided to go for it. Becht held the ball for a huge 9 yard gain and a first down. That allowed the Cyclones to use more clock. TCU did not get the ball back until there were 27 seconds left and deep in their own territory. On the last play, the Horned Frogs threw a ton of laterals but the ball was fumbled out of bounds at midfield to end the game.
TCU falls 6-3, 3-3. Iowa St. is now 6-4, 3-4 — the Cyclones have a bye next week and will host Kansas on Saturday, November 22. Game time TBA, coverage on KSOM.
Iowa St. Stats
Rocco Becht 9-24 passing, 111 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT; 4 carries, 22 yards
Carson Hanson 28 carries, 108 yards, 1 TD
Abu Sama III 7 carries, 30 yards
Chase Sowell 4 catches, 31 yards
Ben Brahmer 1 catch, 23 yards, 1 TD
Kooper Ebel 11 tackles, 1 TFL
Tre Bell 1 INT
Josh Patterson 1 INT
TCU Stats
Josh Hoover 34-50 passing, 319 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT
Jeremy Payne 8 rushes, 71 yards
Jordan Dwyer 11 catches, 108 yards, 1 TD
Eric McAlister 11 catches, 107 yards
