Peterson: Iowa State text group is curious about what happened against Kansas
AMES – Indulge me while I continue to wonder why game officials, regardless of sport, don’t have to be accountable for decisions they make that affect games and betting lines. And no, I’m not saying they’re crooked.
Someday, I want to hear directly from a ref what he or she saw on a specific play. The 18-to-22 year-old student-athletes are accountable after games. They’re front-and-center in interview rooms throughout the country, answering sometimes very tough questions about very tough situations.
But adults actually in charge of making sure games run according to the rules? For some reason, they’re shielded from scrutiny, and that’s not right.
More: Peterson: Iowa State paid dearly for not being ready to play a game that meant so much
I asked the Big 12 for clarification why Iowa State’s Jaylin Noel’s long kickoff return to what looked to be around Kansas’ 2-yard line during the second quarter of Saturday’s 28-21 Cyclones loss was brought back to the Jayhawks’ 31-yard line. The series ended with a punt.
Every TV replay I saw showed Noel not even close to the sidelines during what was a momentum-gathering run at a time the Cyclones trailed 14-zip. He clearly was in bounds when a ref started waving hands overhead. Given that, I wanted to know why the run was called back.
No one's saying that play cost Iowa State the game, although it certainly didn’t help. It was questionable. Fans were buzzing about it. They deserved to know what happened, and so did the players.
The Big 12 Conference finally got back to me just before the clock turned midnight Saturday with this statement from conference coordinator of officials Greg Burks:
“By rule, when a runner is ruled out of bounds, that judgment is not reviewable unless that action occurs inside the 10-yard line. Replay can be used to put a player out, but it may not put a player ruled out, back in (unless that action occurs inside the 10-yard line).”
Again, refs did not cost Iowa State this game. The Cyclones not being ready to play at kickoff cost the Cyclones a shot at being bowl-eligible before playing at BYU on Saturday, at home against Texas, and then at Kansas State.
Still, I would have liked to have asked the game’s referee why the play was called back – what the ref saw that TV cameras didn’t catch. I would have liked to have heard it directly from one of the officials, and if it ended up being a faulty call, then say that. Own it. If it was the correct call, then say that, too.
There’s my every-so-often rant about refs not being publicly accountable for their actions, and keep in mind that it wasn’t the refs who lost 6 yards on the following three plays after the Noel return. It wasn’t the refs playing defense against Kansas’ 80-yard touchdown passing play. It wasn’t the refs calling running plays on Iowa State’s first seven first downs.
Refs didn’t lose the game. Iowa State lost the game.
What did The Register’s Iowa State text-group say about Saturday’s game?
We dusted off the Ohio game plan and tried to use it against Kansas. Hopefully we don't try that again this season. I don't recall us throwing downfield at all. Need to be more aggressive on offense.
According to the play-by-play sheet reporters get, Iowa State ran on seven of 10 first downs while getting just a first-half field goal. That changed during an 18-point second half that included rushing on just six of 13 first-down plays. The Cyclones’ offense wasn’t nearly as predictable after halftime.
More: Mailbag: Examining Iowa State football's clock management against Kansas
I asked coach Matt Campbell about that Saturday night. I’ll ask offensive coordinator Nate Scheelhaase the same question Tuesday.
To me, the offense moves better when there’s a nice mix of rushes and passes. I understand that plan gets blown up when a play is out of sync. Saturday night, it took Iowa State until the second half to consistently sync.
I played defensive back in college back when dinosaurs roamed, but even then the mantra was don’t get beat deep.
Eight-game starting safety Jeremiah Cooper, who leads the Cyclones with five interceptions, didn’t play because of injury. Kansas coaches were aware. Everyone in the stadium and watching on ESPN was aware after Iowa State’s defense ran onto the field.
Kansas’ first possession included completions of 31, 21 and 21 yards. The Jayhawks scored on an 80-yard touchdown play in the fourth quarter.
The BYU road game is no gimme by any means. It's a unique trip and a late game. A must win for Iowa State.
The Cougars are 2-0 against Big 12 opponents at home, beating Texas Tech (27-14) and Cincinnati (35-27). They’re averaging 63,678 for those games inside 63,725-seat LaVell Edwards Stadium.
Yes, it’s certainly a unique trip, the Cyclones’ first football venture to Provo, Utah, since beating BYU 26-24 in 1973. The only time under Campbell that Iowa State had a time zone trip west was a 48-3 victory at UNLV in 2021. This week’s game starts at 8:15 p.m. local time (that’s 9:15 p.m. in the Central time zone).
Of the remaining three, Saturday’s game is the best bet for the 5-4 Cyclones to reach bowl eligibility. You’d rather get that out of the way before hosting a Texas team that’s still got a shot at making the College Football Playoff, and then playing at Kansas State, which is 6-3 after losing in overtime against the Longhorns on Saturday.
Must win?
In that respect, I cannot disagree.
Shoulda . . . woulda . . . coulda
What happened Saturday was a perfect example of that cliché:
Shoulda won on what was an electric and beautiful homecoming evening at Jack Trice Stadium.
Woulda won if the offense was as in sync in the first half as it was the second.
Coulda gone to Provo next Saturday already having clinched a bowl bid.
Iowa State columnist Randy Peterson is in his 51st year writing sports for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at rpeterson@dmreg.com, on X @RandyPete, and at DesMoinesRegister.com/CyclonesTexts
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Peterson: Iowa State text group has many questions about Kansas loss
