(Ames, IA) — Running back/punt returner Aiden Flora tallied 296 all-purpose yards, including a career-high 194 yards on the ground, and scored three touchdowns in Iowa State’s 55-7 rout of Bowling Green Saturday afternoon at Jack Trice Stadium.
Flora was at the center of multiple big plays by the Cyclone offense and special teams. ISU had seven plays of 30 yards or longer, including four by Flora, who recorded TD dashes of 61 and 42 yards, and a 66-yard punt return for a TD in the third quarter, the second of his career.
The biggest play of all came from Cameron Pettaway, who returned a kickoff 100 yards for a TD in the second quarter, the longest in school history. It was the first time in school history ISU scored TDs on a kickoff and a punt return in the same game.
QB Jaylen Raynor threw for 133 yards and rushed for 60, and Arnold Barnes III had 63 rushing yards, including a pair of scoring runs. The Cyclones accumulated 365 yards on the ground, their first 300-yard rushing outing since 2015.
The Cyclone defense was stout, forcing a pair of turnovers and outgaining the Falcons, 507-186 in total offense. Beau Goodwin had his first career interception, and Sullivan Schlimgen recovered a fumble.
BGSU rarely got past midfield and 59 of its 186 total yards came on one play.
Much of the action occurred in the first quarter.
The Cyclones got on the board first behind the arm and legs of Raynor. Raynor accounted for all 80 yards in a short three-play scoring drive with a 35-yard rush and two completions. His second completion on the drive was a 34-yard TD strike to freshman Jamal Polite Jr., the first in his career, to give the Cyclones a 7-0 lead.
The quick strikes continued, as the Falcons evened the score (7-7) with a 3-play, 75-yard drive culminating with a 59-yard TD pass from Jay Kastantin to Winn Sharp. Sharp caught the short pass and broke free when ISU’s Jaheim Singletary collided with teammate Willie Breland III.
Singletary was tended to on the field for 10 minutes and was eventually carted off.
After the short break, Pettaway, who spent two years at Bowling Green, took the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for the touchdown to break the tie. It was ISU’s first kickoff return for a TD since Kene Nwangwu’s 97-yarder vs. West Virginia in 2016.
The wild first quarter ended with another Cyclone big play when Flora rambled 61 yards for a touchdown to give ISU a 21-7 lead.
Iowa State tacked on two more scores in the second quarter to take a 35-7 lead at intermission. Barnes III had a three-yard TD run and Flora added another long TD rush, this time for 42 yards.
After Kyle Konrardy drilled a third quarter 39-yard field goal, Flora’s 66-yard punt return put the game out of reach at 45-7.
The Cyclones took out their starters and sent in the reserves late in the third quarter.
ISU, which improved to 2-1, remains at home to face Utah in its Big 12 opener next Saturday. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m; Cyclone Pre Game at 12:30 on KSOM.
