No. 18 Iowa State scored 14 points off turnovers and defeated No. 24 Kansas State 29-21 on Saturday on a frigid night in Ames, Iowa.
The Cyclones (10-2, 7-2 Big 12) will face Arizona State in the Big 12 Championship Game on Dec. 7. The Cyclones last won a conference football championship in 1912 when they were members of the Missouri Valley Conference.
Iowa State has 10 wins in a season for the first time in school history.
The Wildcats (8-4, 5-4) have lost three of their past four games.
Rocco Becht threw for 137 yards and two touchdowns for the Cyclones. Avery Johnson racked up 220 yards passing and three touchdowns for the Wildcats (8-4, 5-4), who have lost three of their past four games.
Trailing 24-14, Kansas State looked poised to make it a one-score game midway through the third quarter after a first-and-goal at Iowa State’s 5-yard line. But two short gains set up a 21-yard field-goal attempt that was blocked.
The Wildcats converted on their next possession as Johnson hit Garrett Oakley for a 7-yard touchdown to trim their deficit to 24-21 with 4:41 left in the third. Kansas State stopped Iowa State on fourth-and-2 at the Kansas State 7. On the Wildcats’ ensuing possession, Johnson was called for intentional grounding in the end zone, extending the Cyclones’ lead to 26-21 with 13:22 left in the game.
Iowa State then got a 20-yard field goal by Kyle Konrardy with 6:16 left to cap the scoring.
Johnson’s throw on the first play of the game was ruled a backward pass, which was recovered by Iowa State at the Kansas State 27-yard line. Six plays later, Becht found Jayden Higgins for a 15-yard touchdown.
After going three-and-out on their second drive, the Wildcats found their footing. Johnson found Jayce Brown for a 28-yard touchdown to cap a 10-play, 83-yard drive and tie the score at 7-7.
Iowa State regained the lead early in the second quarter on a 41-yard field goal by Konrardy. Kansas State then turned the ball over again when Keagan Johnson fumbled at the Wildcats’ own 30 after making a reception. Five plays later, Becht found Jaylin Noel in the back of the end zone for a 17-7 lead.
Kansas State got back into the game when Johnson threw a 65-yard touchdown to Brown to cut the Wildcats’ deficit to 17-14 with 5:49 left in the first half.
Becht’s 5-yard run with 43 seconds left in the second quarter gave Iowa State a 24-14 halftime lead.
–Field Level Media
