Iowa State became the second Big 12 team to go 2-0 in the young college football season. On Saturday afternoon, the Cyclones took care of rival Iowa, though it took a triple overtime classic to do so.
Fans of the Iowa vs. Iowa State rivalry were given a treat at Jack Trice Stadium this week, and it was about as drama-packed as any game between these two schools has ever been. The end result was an impressive non-conference win for the Cyclones and an embarrassing trip home for the Hawkeyes.
The game started out much in favor of Iowa, which took a quick 10-0 lead off of a Kevonte Martin-Manley touchdown and then a Mike Meyer field goal. The hometown fans had to be worried that the Hawkeyes might turn this into a blowout, but Iowa State quarterback Steele Jantz began the charge on his next possession. Connecting with Darius Reynolds on an 11-yard touchdown pass brought the game within reach at 10-7.
The back-and-forth began at that point and continued until Iowa scored a touchdown and ended up successful on a two-point conversion to take a 24-17 lead. With just over a minute left on the clock, Jantz connected on another touchdown pass, tying up the game and sending it into overtime.
Both teams scored touchdowns in the first two overtimes, leading to a 38-38 tie and a third overtime period. This was when the Iowa State defense stepped up and held Iowa to a 34-yard field goal on the first possession. The shot was now there to end the game with a Cyclones touchdown, and that is exactly what happened on a run by James White. Iowa State pulled out the 44-41 victory, and the crowd went absolutely insane.
Jantz ended the game with 279 passing yards and four touchdowns, easily making this the best game of his young career. It was much better than the three-interception performance he had against Northern Iowa, and this game will gain the team much more respect on a national scale. Beating a school that could end up competing for a Big Ten title is a great way to continue the non-conference schedule for the Cyclones. Next up will be Connecticut in a Friday night game September 16.
It’s good that Iowa State got a win now, because the schedule is going to get very tough with games against Texas, Baylor, Missouri, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech in the month of October alone. For now though, it’s time to celebrate in Ames.