Iowa State walked into the week trying to shake off a rough loss to Arizona, and for most of Saturday’s wild ride against Oklahoma State, the Cyclones looked determined to do exactly that.
What they got instead was a full-on shootout - one that swung back and forth all game before Iowa State finally escaped with a 51-49 win on a late field goal.
The Cyclones set the tone early when Aiden Flora broke loose for a 29-yard touchdown run. Oklahoma State answered quickly, though, using a 12-play, 75-yard drive that ended with Drew Mestermaker finding the end zone to tie it at 7-7.
That was just the beginning. After an Iowa State interception and an Oklahoma State three-and-out, the Cowboys hit a 59-yard touchdown pass to jump ahead. Iowa State responded with another 12-play, 75-yard march to pull even at 14-14.
Then came one of the bolder calls of the day. Iowa State tried an onside kick, Kyle Konrarady’s attempt was recovered, and the Cyclones made the extra possession count. Jaylen Raynor connected with Jamal Polite Jr. for a touchdown to put Iowa State back on top.
Oklahoma State kept matching every punch. Mestemaker threw his third touchdown pass of the game to tie it again, and after Iowa State later recovered a botched Cowboys punt, the Cyclones cashed in for three points before halftime.
The scoring pace didn’t slow down after the break. Iowa State put together a 91-yard touchdown drive to open up a 10-point lead in the third quarter, but the cushion didn’t last long. Caleb Hawkins ripped off a long run to cut the margin right back down to three.
The Cyclones answered again, this time with Cameron Pettaway lined up at wide receiver and hauling in a long touchdown pass to make it 38-28. But Oklahoma State refused to go away. Mestemaker found another deep strike for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, and Flora immediately answered with a 75-yard run to restore Iowa State’s two-score edge.
Still, the Cowboys kept coming. Hawkins finished off a 75-yard drive with a touchdown, trimming the score to 45-42. Then, after Oklahoma State forced a stop late in the fourth quarter, Mestemaker made a rare mistake and threw an interception.
Iowa State couldn’t finish the job with a touchdown after that turnover, but it did add a field goal to go up 48-42. That still wasn’t enough to close the door. Oklahoma State drove back down the field and took a 49-48 lead with less than a minute remaining.
That set up the final answer from Iowa State. Raynor hit Polite for 33 yards to move the Cyclones into field goal range, Flora added a couple of runs, and Konrardy drilled the winner.
Iowa State now heads on the road to face Baylor in another tough matchup.
In Other News...
Oklahoma State Scored 49 And Still Left Fans With One Big Fear
For most of Saturday, Oklahoma State had enough offense to feel like it could survive almost anything. Drew Mestemaker threw for 323 yards and five touchdowns, Caleb Hawkins piled up 275 yards of total offense and scored three times, and the Cowboys kept answering every Iowa State push in a wild Big 12 shootout that had the feel of a game decided by whichever side had the ball last.
But even with all that production, the ending left the Cowboys with the kind of concern that lingers after a loss like this. Iowa State kept finding answers of its own, with Aiden Flora rushing for 221 yards and two touchdowns and Jaylen Raynor accounting for four total touchdowns, and Oklahoma State never quite got the final stop it needed when the game tightened late. The result was a 51-49 defeat that showed just how explosive the Cowboys can be, while also reminding them how thin the margin is when a shootout turns into a finish-line scramble. [Read more 🡒]
Steve Lutz Has A Real Oklahoma State Lineup Decision Before The Opener
Steve Lutz came to Stillwater with the mandate to lift Oklahoma State back into the NCAA Tournament picture, and the first real test of how quickly that rebuild can take shape arrives with the season opener against Incarnate Word. After three exhibition games, the Cowboys have at least given their new coach something useful to sort through: a few players have flashed enough to make the early rotation picture feel less settled than it might have seemed a month ago.
Among the names making noise are freshman Felisi, Jacob Walker and Kashie Natt, all of whom turned in encouraging stretches during exhibition play. The challenge for Lutz now is less about finding talent than deciding how to arrange it, because the opener is close enough that the lineup choices start to matter in a hurry, and the best answer may not be the most obvious one. [Read more 🡒]
Steve Lutz Just Added Tension To Oklahoma States Opener
Oklahoma States season opener against Incarnate Word already had the usual early-year uncertainty, and Steve Lutz added a little more of it while updating the status of his roster. The Cowboys are still sorting through availability as they get ready to tip off, with Lutz offering a broader look at where the team stands physically and how preparation has gone heading into the first game.
The most immediate question is at point guard, where Clary is dealing with a groin injury but appears to be moving in the right direction. Lutz also pointed to the longer-term recovery picture elsewhere on the roster, including Fallahs rehab from a torn ACL, as Oklahoma State tries to balance caution with the need to get off to a clean start. [Read more 🡒]