After Iowa’s second three-and-out on offense in consecutive possessions, the Cyclone offense took advantage in an even bigger way. ISU went 65 yards on eight plays and got a bruising seven-yard touchdown run by David Montgomery to take a 31-21 lead with 11:46 left to play. Park was again on top of his game in helping the Cyclones get there, completing 4-of-5 passes for 50 yards. Hakeem Butler’s nine-yard catch from Park on 3rd-and-5 led to Montgomery’s crushing run into the end zone.
A holding penalty on Iowa’s kickoff return placed the ball back at the eight-yard line, but that didn’t stop its offense from going to work. Nate Stanley hit Nick Easley for a 12-yard gain on the first play and the Hawkeyes were on the move. A defensive holding penalty gave Iowa another first down on a 3rd-and-5 incompletion. Stanley found Akrum Wadley later in the drive for a 19-yard completion on 3rd-and-10. The Hawkeye quarterback followed that up with a 15-yard touchdown pass to a diving Ihmir Smith-Marsette in the right corner of the end zone. Iowa State’s lead stood at 31-28 with 6:25 to play.
Iowa re-seized momentum on the first play from scrimmage when Parker Hesse intercepted a pass from Park and returned it to the ISU five-yard line. However, the Cyclone defense was able to rise up and hold their opponent to zero yards and three plays. Miguel Recinos came on to kick a 23-yard goal and the score was tied 31-31 with 5:16 to play.
Although the Hawkeyes had clawed back into the game, it was the Cyclone offense that struck what could have been the game’s decisive blow when Park hit Butler over the middle for a 74-yard touchdown. The play-action pass sucked up an Iowa defender and Butler blew right past for an easy sprint into the end zone. ISU grabbed a 38-31 lead with 4:36 to play.
Iowa chose the worst possible time for the offense to go three-and-out, as pair of Stanley passes were off the mark and Akrum Wadley was stopped for a two-yard loss by Ray Lima and Willie Harvey.
But this game was far from over, as the Cyclones went three-and-out on the ensuing possession and the Hawkeyes took possession at the 11 after a 61-yard punt by Colin Downing. Iowa gradually marched down the field in the waning moments, before Stanley found Wadley for a 46-yard catch and run into the end zone. Iowa tied the game at 38-38 with 1:09 to play.
Advantage: Even.
A holding penalty on Iowa’s kickoff return placed the ball back at the eight-yard line, but that didn’t stop its offense from going to work. Nate Stanley hit Nick Easley for a 12-yard gain on the first play and the Hawkeyes were on the move. A defensive holding penalty gave Iowa another first down on a 3rd-and-5 incompletion. Stanley found Akrum Wadley later in the drive for a 19-yard completion on 3rd-and-10. The Hawkeye quarterback followed that up with a 15-yard touchdown pass to a diving Ihmir Smith-Marsette in the right corner of the end zone. Iowa State’s lead stood at 31-28 with 6:25 to play.
Iowa re-seized momentum on the first play from scrimmage when Parker Hesse intercepted a pass from Park and returned it to the ISU five-yard line. However, the Cyclone defense was able to rise up and hold their opponent to zero yards and three plays. Miguel Recinos came on to kick a 23-yard goal and the score was tied 31-31 with 5:16 to play.
Although the Hawkeyes had clawed back into the game, it was the Cyclone offense that struck what could have been the game’s decisive blow when Park hit Butler over the middle for a 74-yard touchdown. The play-action pass sucked up an Iowa defender and Butler blew right past for an easy sprint into the end zone. ISU grabbed a 38-31 lead with 4:36 to play.
Iowa chose the worst possible time for the offense to go three-and-out, as pair of Stanley passes were off the mark and Akrum Wadley was stopped for a two-yard loss by Ray Lima and Willie Harvey.
But this game was far from over, as the Cyclones went three-and-out on the ensuing possession and the Hawkeyes took possession at the 11 after a 61-yard punt by Colin Downing. Iowa gradually marched down the field in the waning moments, before Stanley found Wadley for a 46-yard catch and run into the end zone. Iowa tied the game at 38-38 with 1:09 to play.
Advantage: Even.
