RECAP: Iowa State wins second straight after 30-10 domination of Cincinnati

The Iowa State football team hit the road this week and came away with a 30-10 win over the Cincinnati Bearcats.

The victory moves the Cyclones to 4-3 overall and 3-1 in Big 12 play, their only conference loss coming to a top-10 Oklahoma team. The Bearcats are still searching for their first Big 12 win since joining the conference this season.

Matt Campbell’s crew really controlled the pace of the game really didn’t look too stressed after the first couple of drives.

More: Peterson: Iowa State football thoughts about the Cyclones' first Big 12 road win since 2021

Here’s a recap of how Iowa State won its second straight game.

More: Iowa State football defeats Cincinnati to improve to 4-3 on the season

FINAL: Iowa State 30, Cincinnati 10

4Q/10:00 Another ISU touchdown just about seals it

A 13-yard touchdown pass from Rocco Becht to Stevo Klotz puts the Cyclones up 30-10 with just 10 minutes to play. That's the first career score from Klotz.

It’s not entirely over, but Cincy is going to need to get its offense moving, and fast, if they want a chance to come away with a win over the Cyclones today.

END OF 3Q: Iowa State 23, Cincinnati 10

The Cyclones add on another field goal from Chase Contreraz, his third of the game. This one was from 30 yards out to put Iowa State up 23-10 heading into the final 15 minutes.

3Q/4:03 Cincinnati strikes back

It wasn’t a touchdown, but the Bearcats were able to get back on the board and cut their deficit to just 10 points after a Carter Brown 36-yard field goal. The kick ended a 14-play, 56-yard drive.

ISU up 20-10 late in the third quarter.

3Q/10:45 Iowa State adds on 3 points

After the long kickoff return to start the second half, the Cyclones can’t find paydirt. But they are able to extend their lead thanks to a 34-yard Chase Contreraz field goal, his second of the day.

Cyclones up 20-7.

3Q/14:48 Massive start to second half for Iowa State

Jaylin Noel takes the kickoff 72 yards to set the Cyclones up in great field position to start the second half.

HALFTIME: Iowa State 17, Cincinnati 7

Emory Jones is picked off in the end zone by Jeremiah Cooper on a Hail Mary as time expires in the second quarter. That’s his fifth pick of the season.

Iowa State gets the ball to start the second half.

2Q/3:43 Iowa State extends its lead

The Cyclones scored with a long methodical drive the last time the offense was out on the field. This time it was the exact opposite. Rocco Becht found Benjamin Brahmer in the end zone from 14 yards out

The five-play scoring drive was set up by a 75-yard pass from Becht to Jayden Higgins on the first play of the possession.

ISU up 17-7 late in the first half.

2Q/7:48 Iowa State trickery, penalty on Bearcats leads to a touchdown

The Cyclones appeared to be settling for a field goal on a fourth-and-5 from inside the red zone. Chase Contretaz took the snap and made a guy miss and barely stretched across the line to gain for a 6-yard rush.

The Cyclones seemed poised to settle for a FG after failing to convert on another third down, but a roughing the passer penalty gave them a fresh set of downs. Iowa State finally hit paydirt with a Rocco Becht QB keeper on an option play from just two yards out.

That put the exclamation point on a long 15-play, 59-yard drive. ISU up 10-7

END OF 1Q: Iowa State 3, Cincinnati 7

1Q/0:42 Cincinnati takes the lead

After the Cyclones put three points on the board, the Bearcats answer with a long 10-play touchdown drive, complete with a fourth-down conversion near midfield.

Cincy takes a 7-3 lead thanks to a 20-yard scoring strike from Emory Jones to a wide-open Chamon Metayer. Looked like some confusion defensively thanks to a strange formation Jones and the offense came out in.

1Q/5:31 Iowa State can’t find the end zone, but gets on the board

On third-and-goal, Rocco Becht looks for Benjamin Brahmer in the end zone. The pass is a bit high, but the wideout gets a hand on it. He can’t complete the catch, though. That’ll go down as a drop, folks.

But ISU gets on the board on the next play when Chase Contreraz splits the uprights on a 30-yarder.

Cyclones up 3-0

1Q/7:43 Iowa State picks off Cincinnati

It has not been a great start for former Florida quarterback Emory Jones. He's thrown two passes, the first was a miss on a would-be touchdown and the second was an interception to Iowa State. T.J. Tampa picked off Jones and returned the ball back to the Cincy 34.

Iowa State has great field position now as they look to hang the first points of the game on the scoreboard.

Q1/12:49 Iowa State avoids disaster

The Bearcats had a man wide-open for a walk-in touchdown in the middle of the field, but QB Emory Jones overthrew the intended target, Dee Wiggins. That incompletion set up a punt, which gives the Cyclones the ball deep in their own territory.

Rocco Becht and Co. out on the field now.

1Q/14:55 We’re underway from Cincy

Iowa State kicks off and the Bearcats' offense will be on the field to start

Let’s have some fun.

10:20 Jake Remsburg is on the field

The redshirt senior offensive lineman is in uniform and going through warmups out at Nippert Stadium, according to our guys on-site in Cincinnati. He was suspended for the first six games of the season for sports gambling.

He has been practicing with the team during his suspension, though.

10:00 Darien Porter is making a name for himself on special teams

Darien Porter, a redshirt senior from Bettendorf, came to Iowa State as a wide receiver in 2019. He’s only recorded one catch for the Cyclones in his career and eventually switched to the defensive side of the ball, becoming a DB.

He never got a ton of playing time on defense either, but has become a special teams ace for coach Matt Campbell’s team. Last week in the 27-14 win over TCU, Porter tallied the third blocked punt of his career.

Our Iowa State beat writer, Travis Hines, spoke with Porter, Campbell and other people around the program this week to get a sense of how the former high school football and track star has embraced his new role. Click here to read that full story.

More: Darien Porter 'a guy that's always wanted to contribute' for Iowa State football

9:30 a.m. New territory for Iowa State football

The Cyclones' trip to Nippert Stadium will be the first time these two football programs have ever played each other. It won't be the last, though. With the Bearcats joining the Big 12 this year, ISU fans should get used to seeing a lot of Cincinnati from here on out.

More: Peterson: Iowa State ventures Saturday into the Big 12's land of the unknown newcomers

There are some new teams and cities on the horizon, too, in addition to the four that joined in 2023. Next season, while the Big 12 loses Texas and Oklahoma, it gains Utah, Arizona, Colorado, and Arizona State from the PAC-12.

Our Cyclones columnist Randy Peterson broke down what this first trek into the new Big 12 means for Iowa State football and takes a glance into what the conference could look like in the near future. Click here to check out his full column.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Recap: Iowa State football rolls through Cincinnati for Big 12 win