Instant analysis: Iowa State football defeats Cincinnati to improve to 4-3 on the season
CINCINNATI – For all the frustration, angst and anxiety Iowa State football may have generated early in the season, the Cyclones will head into the homestretch of their schedule with momentum and plenty of possibilities.
Iowa State outplayed and outlasted Cincinnati to claim a 30-10 victory Saturday in the Cyclones’ first-ever trip to Nippert Stadium.
The Cyclones will enter their bye week with a 4-3 overall record and a 3-1 mark in the Big 12. It’s as desirable a position as Iowa State could have ever hoped for after starting the season 1-2 with a loss to Ohio.
Iowa State, which hadn’t won back-to-back games since September 2022, got a huge afternoon from wide receiver Jayden Higgins, who caught six passes for 172 yards.
Quarterback Rocco Becht threw for 241 yards and two scores. The Cyclones ran for 123 yards, with Eli Sanders leading the way with 52.
More: RECAP: Iowa State wins second straight after 30-10 domination of Cincinnati
Kicker Chase Contreraz had an eventful day, going 3-of-3 on field goals while also picking up a fourth-down conversion on a fake that ultimately led to an Iowa State touchdown.
The Iowa State defense was its usual stingy self. Cincinnati (2-4, 0-3) managed just 214 total yards. Quarterback Emory Jones was 14-of-26 for 96 yards with a pair of interceptions while the Bearcats rushed for 115 yards.
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The Cyclones will now have a chance to regroup with the bye week coming ahead of a sprint toward the end of the season. Iowa State will need to win two of its final five games to reach bowl eligibility for the sixth time in seven years.
It’s a rather remarkable position for Iowa State to be in given the adversity that has found them. After going 4-8 a year ago, the Cyclones lost five starters to the state of Iowa’s gambling probe and then began the 2023 campaign 1-2 with a home loss to Iowa and a road loss to Ohio in which the Cyclones managed just seven points.
Since that loss to the Bobcats, the Cyclones are 3-1 with a road loss to No. 7 Oklahoma as the only blemish. Iowa State has done it with a reinvented passing attack that has replaced a struggling running game as the focal point of the offense.
It hasn’t been an immediate or stunning turnaround for the Cyclones, but rather a gradual climb that has continued to produce results over the last month. If it can continue in November, the Cyclones’ season very well could extend into December.
Travis Hines covers Iowa State University sports for the Des Moines Register and Ames Tribune. Contact him at thines@amestrib.com or (515) 284-8000. Follow him on X at @TravisHines21.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa State football cruises past Cincinnati to earn Big 12 road win
