ESPN:
Takeaway: The "It was a tale of two halves" cliché is tired and dreadfully overused, but the Pop-Tarts Bowl was literally a tale of two halves. The first was a track meet in which the teams combined for 625 total yards, Cam Wardthrew for 190 yards and three touchdowns and Miami outscored Iowa State 31-28.
The second, with Ward having arranged to play only one half in his final collegiate game, was a rock fight in which ISU topped the Hurricanes 14-10 thanks to a late 15-play touchdown drive and a scoring plunge by quarterback Rocco Becht. Add the two halves up, and the Cyclones won by a cumulative 42-41. Miami's Damien Martinez and Mark Fletcher Jr. combined for 241 rushing yards and two scores to nearly fend off the Cyclones. But in the end Matt Campbell's Cyclones made a late defensive stop, lifted the glorious Pop-Tarts Trophy and, of course, cannibalized the giant, cinnamon roll-flavored pastry.
MVP: Becht earned easy player-of-the-game honors with 270 passing yards -- 117 of those went to wideout Jaylin Noel -- plus three passing downs, a number of key scrambles and the game-winning touchdown run. -- Bill Connelly
Takeaway: The "It was a tale of two halves" cliché is tired and dreadfully overused, but the Pop-Tarts Bowl was literally a tale of two halves. The first was a track meet in which the teams combined for 625 total yards, Cam Wardthrew for 190 yards and three touchdowns and Miami outscored Iowa State 31-28.
The second, with Ward having arranged to play only one half in his final collegiate game, was a rock fight in which ISU topped the Hurricanes 14-10 thanks to a late 15-play touchdown drive and a scoring plunge by quarterback Rocco Becht. Add the two halves up, and the Cyclones won by a cumulative 42-41. Miami's Damien Martinez and Mark Fletcher Jr. combined for 241 rushing yards and two scores to nearly fend off the Cyclones. But in the end Matt Campbell's Cyclones made a late defensive stop, lifted the glorious Pop-Tarts Trophy and, of course, cannibalized the giant, cinnamon roll-flavored pastry.
MVP: Becht earned easy player-of-the-game honors with 270 passing yards -- 117 of those went to wideout Jaylin Noel -- plus three passing downs, a number of key scrambles and the game-winning touchdown run. -- Bill Connelly
