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AMES — It seemed as though all the hopes and dreams of a Big 12 championship and chance to play for a national title was officially slipping away on Saturday night.
The Cyclones had given up a touchdown on the opening drive of the game, were being outgained by over 100 yards and were struggling to get their footing gaining just 24 yards on the ground on 13 carries. If not for a 28-yard punt return by Jaylin Noel and a bad snap that led to an 18-yard punt by Mason Fletcher that helped flip field position in the first half, Iowa State may very well have trailed at halftime for the fourth consecutive game.
Instead, Iowa State was able to catch Cincinnati on Saturday night at Jack Trice Stadium, entering halftime tied at 10-10 with the Bearcats despite having to deal with all the same struggles in the first half that had plagued the Cyclones in consecutive losses over the past two weeks. Fortunate or not, Iowa State capitalized in the second half pulling away for a much-needed 34-17 win that keeps the Cyclones within a game of the lead in the Big 12 conference with two weeks left in the regular season.
“I keep saying this. It’s the story. We just keep coming,” Iowa State head football coach Matt Campbell said. “The guys just keep fighting to meet the standard of excellence that the program’s about. Guys have to keep stepping up in critical situations and they keep doing it.”
Never more so than on Saturday as Iowa State faced the potential of a third straight loss completely derailing their championship hopes. Cincinnati took the opening possession down the field, converting on fourth-and-short in their own territory to extend the drive before scoring the game’s first points on a 12-yard touchdown run by Evan Pryor, giving the Bearcats a 7-0 lead.
“They (Iowa State) were dropping eight all day. They did not pressure us….
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/college-football-cyclones-stay-hunt-024700101.html
Author : Ottumwa Courier, Iowa
Publish date : 2024-11-19 02:47:00
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