Iowa State's football offense shines in the Cyclones' Pop Tarts Bowl victory

In Iowa State’s first 11-win football season, the Cyclones achieved victory in a variety of ways.

There were dramatic comebacks, stingy defensive efforts, resilience after injuries and plays on both sides of the ball. Saturday’s 42-41 Pop-Tarts Bowl win over Miami gave the Cyclones a new way to win – an offensive shootout.

“Of course, let me say again what a great week it was,” coach Matt Campbell said. “It’s been rewriting history every step of the way and it was really, really great to put a big exclamation point on that tonight. We are proud of our team and think about the world of coach (Mario) Cristobal and of course the Miami team, but a great opportunity for us to finish the season right.”

The Cyclones had deserved praise for their defensive efforts all year. But on Saturday they proved they could keep up with the best offense in the country in a hard-fought matchup.

Quarterback Rocco Becht was named Pop-Tarts Bowl MVP after completing 22 of 35 passes for 270 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. He also had the game-winning rushing touchdown on a quarterback sneak with 56 seconds left in the game.

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“We’ve been in situations like this before,” said Becht about the last goal. “We practice it all the time. I think our team just has the composure and the calm to act in the biggest moments and that’s exactly what we did.”

He orchestrated the Cyclones’ fifth late-game scoring drive of the season, which saw them finish with a program-best 11-3 record. They also scored 42 points, marking the most points by an Iowa State team in bowl game history.

Iowa State may have been inconsistency on offense lately, but Saturday it topped 40 points for the first time since beating Baylor on Oct. 5.

In contrast to this game, Becht’s unit did not lose any balls. The Cyclones were also without one of their favorite targets: Jayden Higgins, who left Saturday’s game. As an NFL Draft prospect in 2024, Higgins had a team-best 87 receptions for 1,183 and nine touchdowns.

Iowa State’s other standout receiver, Jaylin Noel, finished Saturday’s win with eight receptions for 117 yards and a touchdown in his final game as a Cyclone.

He also had a couple of crucial receptions to set up the game-winning touchdown.

“Since January we have put ourselves in these situations to be ready for these moments. When that time came, we were ready for it,” Noel said. “It hasn’t dawned on me yet (that this is my last game). I love this team so much. I love the coach for everything he has done for me. This team means a lot to me and there is no better way to go out than a champion.”

Even though he had a great performance at the end of his career at Iowa State, the question is how the team could turn things around on offense next season. Higgins and Noel accounted for more than 60% of the team’s receptions as they received yards and touchdowns this season.

After that leading receiving tandem, tight end Gabe Burkle was the next best producer, entering Saturday’s contest with just 22 receptions and 242 yards this season.

However, the most productive wide receiver after Higgins and Noel was Carson Brown. He had recorded just nine receptions for 129 yards and a touchdown entering Saturday.

The Cyclones gave fans a glimpse Saturday of what their offense could potentially look like next year. Although the other receivers may not have had as many targets as Noel or Higgins, they competed against the Hurricanes and found the rhythm with Becht.

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Burkle had his first touchdown reception and had four catches for 54 yards. Isaiah Alston made a pair of crucial grabs, his first two receiving yards since transferring from Army, and finished the game with 52 receiving yards on two catches. Eli Green and Brown also had a few receptions to keep their scoring streak going.

Also not to be overlooked is running back Carson Hansen, who had a total of 95 yards of offense and was responsible for three touchdowns.

Miami entered Saturday’s game leading the country in numerous offensive categories, including an FBS-best 44.2 points per game and 538.2 total yards per game.

Although Heisman Trophy finalist and projected first-round draft pick Cam Ward only played in the first half on Saturday, the Cyclones’ offense kept pace with the high-powered Hurricanes.

Both teams exchanged touchdowns on a total of eight consecutive drives.

“It’s just the next drive and we’re going in and out,” Hansen said of the back-and-forth battle. “It was still a team win. The defense held up later in the game and it was just a great win.”

The Hurricanes took the lead into halftime with a last-minute field goal, but the Cyclones were right behind.

More:Hines: Iowa State football wins 11th game with Pop-Tarts Bowl victory over Miami

Iowa State trailed for most of the second half but delivered when it mattered most. The Cyclones joined the best offense in the country and overtook them in the final minute.

While they will be missing offensive catalysts like Higgins and Noel next season, there were glimpses of a bright future.

But for now, they rejoice in the present, recognize the seniors who paved the way for them, and enjoy a celebratory Pop-Tart.

“When we took the job and got to Iowa State, they said, ‘Man, you’re going to the coaching graveyard,'” Campbell said. “Now, nine years later, to be able to sit here and look at what these young men stand for and what so many have done before them. (In) 2017 David Montgomery and Joel Lanning and Allen Lazard. Then comes Brock (Purdy) and what he was able to do with Breece Hall, Charlie Kolar, Chase Allen and Will McDonald and some great players.

“Now that they can sit here today, they’ll talk about Jaylin Noel forever, and they’ll talk about Beau (Freyler) forever, and they’ll talk about Rocco forever. That’s just very valuable.” “

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