Rocco Becht threw for two touchdowns and ran for a third in the first half on Saturday as No. 20 Iowa State remained unbeaten with a 52-7 blowout of Arkansas State in Ames, Iowa.
Becht completed 11 of 18 passes for 204 yards with an interception as the Cyclones improved to 3-0. Carson Hansen added two short scoring runs as Iowa State finished with 490 yards in total offense.
Red Wolves quarterback Jaylen Raynor was pulled to start the second half after hitting only 5 of 16 passes for 68 yards with two interceptions. Backup Timmy McClain went 4 of 7 for 50 yards and a touchdown as Arkansas State fell to 2-2 with its second straight loss.
Unlike last week’s 28-18 setback at then-No. 17 Michigan, which was at least respectable thanks to two late touchdowns, the Red Wolves couldn’t pretend this was close. They never got past the Iowa State 37 until McClain hit Hunter Summers for a 27-yard score with just under five minutes remaining.
It didn’t take Iowa State long to demonstrate that there wouldn’t be a letdown after its upset of Iowa two weeks ago, followed by a bye week. The Cyclones took the lead for good on their second possession via Hansen’s 1-yard run at the 8:47 mark.
Becht made it 14-0 with 45 seconds left in the first quarter on his 1-yard touchdown run, followed by a 31-yard field goal by Kyle Konrardy with 9:00 remaining in the first half. It was his first kick since a game-winner from 54 yards at Iowa.
Becht limbered up his right arm in the final 2 1/2 minutes of the half for a pair of scores. First, he connected with Tyler Moore on a 10-yarder, then he hit Jayden Higgins for a 16-yard touchdown, one play after Malik Verdon intercepted Raynor and returned it 38 yards.
That capped a half that Iowa State completely dominated. It outgained Arkansas State 287-101 and nearly doubled it in first downs (13-7) while averaging nearly eight yards per play.
–Field Level Media
