Iowa State 42-41 Miami (December 28, 2024) Game Recap

Iowa State 42-41 Miami (December 28, 2024) Game Recap

ORLANDO, Fla. – It’s been a season full of comebacks for Iowa State. And fittingly, that’s how it ended for the Cyclones.

Game MVP Rocco Becht scored from 1-yard out on fourth down with 56 seconds left and No. 18 Iowa State capped the best season in school history by winning 42-41 in the Pop-Tarts Bowl on Saturday prevailed against No. 15 Miami.

Becht finished the game with 270 passing yards and three touchdowns for Iowa State (11-2), a program that began this season – the 133rd year of Cyclone football – never winning more than nine games in a year.

“When you look at this team, you see how they have been all year,” coach Matt Campbell said.

The win marked the fourth time in 2024 that Iowa State scored with less than two minutes remaining. In that game, the Cyclones rallied from a 10-point second-half deficit – with Miami quarterback Cam Ward watching after a record-setting first half – to pick up their 11th win. Carson Hansen rushed for two touchdowns for Iowa State.

And as MVP, Becht had the honor of choosing which Pop Tart flavor to sacrifice in a giant toaster.

“There’s only one,” Becht said. “Cinnamon roll.”

Ward rushed for three touchdowns in his final college game, while Damien Martinez rushed for a career-high 179 yards for Miami (10-3), which lost its sixth straight bowl game and lost three of four games to end the season – those three losses by margin a total of 10 points.

“Disappointed we couldn’t get a win,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said. “These guys have always fought and competed, and this was no exception. …It’s painful. It’s as painful as it can be when you don’t win. But there is a lot to build on.”

Martinez and Mark Fletcher Jr. surged for points for Miami, which was seeking its first 11-win season since 2003. Elijah Arroyo, Jojo Trader and Jacolby George had touchdown catches for the Hurricanes.

A 15-play, 84-yard drive by Iowa State provided the winning score.

“Just a great team win,” Hansen said. “And it was great to see the confetti fall.”

The first half was wild. Miami fumbled the ball away on the first snap of the game. And the next eight drives all ended in touchdowns, with neither team able to stop the other.

The teams combined for 625 yards — 358 for Miami, 267 for Iowa State — and 59 points at halftime, which Miami finished with a 31-28 lead. The only punt came midway through the second quarter from Iowa State’s Tyler Perkins; He was cheered as he walked onto the field during a first-half ping-pong game and the teams traded touchdowns like nothing.

Ward was 12 of 19 passing for 190 yards and three touchdowns in the first half before Emory Williams took over to start the second half. Fletcher’s 1-yard run midway through the third quarter gave Miami a 38-28 lead, but the Hurricanes scored just three points on their final three drives.

“To end the season this way is really fitting,” Campbell said. “It really shows the character of this team. It’s hard to find teams in college football anymore, but we have one in Ames, Iowa.”

Takeaways

Iowa State: The Cyclones had touchdown drives of 22, 75, 65 and 75 yards on their first four possessions for a total of 237 yards. They had a touchdown and 110 yards on their next five possessions, not counting one that was just a kneel-down to end the half.

Miami: The Hurricanes are 50-0 since the start of 2000 when they scored at least 38 points and gained at least 500 yards. They’re now 50-2 – the loss to Syracuse that cost Miami a spot in the College Football Playoff ended the streak, and the Hurricanes lost Saturday despite allowing 41 points and 524 yards.

Impact on the survey

If Miami stays in the AP Top 25, 2024 would be the first season since 2017 in which the Hurricanes appeared in every poll. Iowa State finished the season ranked ranked for only the second time since 2000.

school certificate

Andy Borregales’ field goal with 9:40 remaining gave Miami a 41-35 lead – giving him 11 points (five PATs, two field goals) on the day and 404 points in his career. That set a new Miami school record, one more than Michael Badgley.

Next

Iowa State: Opens the 2025 season on August 23 against Kansas State in Dublin, Ireland.

Miami: Opens the 2025 season at home against Notre Dame sometime on Labor Day weekend. The date – between Thursday, August 28th and Monday, September 1st – has not yet been set.

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