Iowa State Storms to 52-7 Victory Over Arkansas State

AMES, Iowa – Matt Campbell now shares the top spot on Iowa State’s all-time victory list.

Campbell earned his 56^th victory with the 20^th-ranked Cyclones in their 52-7 romp past Arkansas State at MidAmerican Energy Field at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday, tying him with Dan McCarney for the most wins among ISU football coaches.

Three games into his ninth season with Iowa State, Campbell is 56-48, a .538 winning percentage that is the school’s best in the modern era.

The Cyclones, 3-0 for the fourth time since 2010, made sure their coach didn’t have to sweat this one out, even in the 88-degree heat. They jumped to a 31-0 halftime lead behind Rocco Becht’s big-play passing and a revived running game that included Carson Hansen’s career day and cruised through the second half.

Iowa State won for the 11^th straight time when scoring at least 30 points and finished with season highs of 490 total yards and 237 rushing yards. It was the Cyclones’ biggest scoring outburst since a 59-7 rout of Kansas on Oct. 2, 2021.

The defense also did its part against a team coming off a 28-18 loss to Michigan at the Big House, blanking the Red Wolves (2-2) until less than 5 minutes remained.  The Cyclones held ASU to 64 yards rushing and 182 total yards, spicing that effort with interceptions by Jeremiah Cooper and Malik Verdon, Darien Porter’s fourth punt block of his career and four sacks.

Becht averaged nearly 20 yards per completion, hitting on 11 of 18 passes for 204 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. He also scored on a 1-yard sneak  before turning things over to freshman Connor Moberly after one series in the third quarter.

Hansen normally is the team’s short-yardage back but became a primary ball carrier on Saturday. The 220-pound sophomore achieved career highs of nine carries and 58 yards and scored the first two touchdowns of his career – a 1-yard plunge for the Cyclones’ first score and a 3-yard burst up the middle to make it 38-0 in the third quarter.

Porter got hand on an Arkansas State punt less than 3 minutes into the game and was credited with a block, setting the Cyclones up at their own 40. Becht’s 28-yard pass to Benjamin Brahmer on a sweet play-action and Hansen’s 23-yard scamper set ISU up in the red zone and Hansen finished off the six-play drive with his first collegiate TD.

Becht overthrew Jayden Higgins on what looked to be a sure touchdown later in the opening quarter, then hit him on a deep route for 26 yards to the Arkansas State 28. Becht wedged his way into the end zone five plays later to make it 14-0.

Kyle Konrardy’s 31-yard field goal made it 17-0 in the second quarter and Becht hit Brahmer on another big play the next time the Cyclones got the ball. He faked a quarterback sneak and then hit his tight end for 24 yards down the middle, Brahmer laying out to make the catch at the ASU 23.

Becht finished that drive with a 10-yard flip to tight end Tyler Moore and the Cyclones still weren’t through in the half. Verdon’s interception and 38-yard weaving return put the ball on the ASU 16 and Becht struck immediately, hitting Higgins on a crossing route for the touchdown and a 31-0 lead.

It was the fifth straight game in which Higgins caught a TD pass, tying the school record held by Todd Blythe and Ty Watley. Higgins finished with four catches for 65 yards, while Brahmer caught three balls for 73 yards.

Completions of 21 yards to Brahmer and 18 yards to Higgins set up Hansen’s second touchdown and freshman Dylan Lee bolted untouched up the middle from 1 yard out for a 45-0 lead. Another freshman, Aiden Flora, circled left end on an 8-yard run to close out the scoring in the final minute.

Senior transfer Jaylen Jackson added to the rushing total with his most productive day as a Cyclone, running 10 times for 53 yards. In all, seven players carried the ball during the game and nine caught a pass.

Moberly, who quarterbacked Southeast Polk to a pair of state championships, looked sharp in his first extensive action, completing 5 of 7  passes for 49 yards and running four times for 36 yards, including a 17-yard sprint to set up Flora’s touchdown.

Iowa State goes back on the road next weekend, playing at Houston on Saturday, game time to be announced later.