Dublin, Ireland — On a rainy, turnover-filled afternoon at Aviva Stadium, Iowa State and Kansas State slugged it out through slick conditions and momentum swings before the Cyclones escaped with a 24–21 victory.
The first half was dominated by defense and miscues, as both teams struggled to hold onto the ball. Fumbles on the wet turf set up short fields, but neither offense could find much consistency, keeping the score tight heading into the break.
The turning point came in the fourth quarter. Trailing by three with just over eight minutes to play, Kansas State head coach Chris Klieman made the bold call to go for it on 4th-and-short from his own 29-yard line. The gamble backfired, handing Iowa State prime field position. Quarterback Rocco Becht cashed in, keeping the ball and darting seven yards for a touchdown to push the Cyclones ahead by 10.
Kansas State responded almost immediately. On a bootleg, quarterback Avery Johnson rolled out and launched a 65-yard touchdown strike to Jerand Bradley, cutting the deficit back to three and swinging momentum once again.
But Johnson never touched the ball again. Iowa State’s offensive line imposed its will on the final drive, methodically marching the ball down to the Kansas State 1-yard line. With the Wildcats out of timeouts, the Cyclones knelt out the clock, sealing a hard-fought win overseas and denying K-State any chance at a comeback.