With a leap and a sprint, Rocco Becht helped secured a victory that pointed Iowa State back in the right direction.
Becht jumped to corral a high snap and sped 15 yards up the middle for a touchdown with 4:04 left, part of a big second half that brought an end to a two-game losing streak with a 34-17 victory over Cincinnati at MidAmerican Field at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday night.
Abu Sama III followed Becht's touchdown with a 27-yard dash to the end zone to wrap up a satisfying victory that lifted the Cyclones' spirits heading into the final two games of the season.
Iowa State (8-2, 5-2 Big 12) is assured of a winning conference record for the seventh time in the last seasons. This the fourth time under coach Matt Campbell that the Cyclones have won at least eight games.
Becht also broke loose on a 32-yard scamper on the drive that led to Sama's touchdown, threw a TD pass to Stevo Klotz and finished with 282 yards in total offense. He completed 24 of 33 passes for 234 yards without an interception and added 48 yards rushing on seven carries.
Sama ended up with 52 yards in 12 carries, while tight end Gabe Burkle had career highs of six catches for 73 yards. Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel also caught six balls apiece, Higgins picking up 69 yards and Noel adding 43.
Iowa State plays at Utah next Saturday and finishes the regular season at home against Kansas State on Saturday, Nov. 30.
Becht's touchdown capped a clock-eating drive that the sophomore quarterback kept moving by converting three times on third down, including the TD, and once on fourth down with a 2-yard plunge from his own 41. The Cyclones used more than 7 ½ minutes to march 68 yards in 15 plays to get the score, then forced a quick three-and-out to return the ball to the offense.
This time, Becht and Co. moved it 71 yards in seven plays, Sama bursting through a hole on the left side and scoring with 1:09 remaining to end any doubt.
The late charge by the offense came after some early struggles on both sides of the ball.
Cincinnati (5-5, 3-4) drove 75 yards in 10 plays on the game's first series to take a 7-0 lead when Evan Pryor took an option pitch from quarterback Brendan Sorsby and went 12 yards for a touchdown. But the Bearcats, hurt by 13 penalties, reached the end zone only once more and that came after Iowa State had taken a 20-10 lead in the third quarter.
Iowa State managed only 114 yards in an opening half that ended in a 10-10 tie. Iowa State pulled to a 7-all tie on Carson Hansen's 2-yard TD run, which came after Becht's 32-yard completion to Burkle on second-and 11. Cincinnati moved back ahead with a field goal, but ISU's Kyle Konrardy tied it with a 35-yard field goal with 8 seconds left in the half.
The Cyclones looked to be a different offense coming out of halftime, driving 76 yards in nine plays to break the tie. Becht rolled right and hit a wide open Klotz for a 26-yard touchdown, the second career scoring reception for Klotz. His first came against Cincinnati last year.
Konrardy's 52-yard field goal, his second of 50-plus this season, stretched the lead to 20-10, ending a drive that included some trickery. On fourth-and-9 from the ISU 42, Klotz took the snap in punt formation and ran 22 yards to the Cincinnati 36.
Sorsby, who rushed for 141 yards on 10 carries, sprinted untouched up the middle on a 41-yard scoring jaunt with 11:44 left, cutting the lead to 20-17. But the Cyclones dominated the game after that and sent the Bearcats home with their third straight loss.
Becht extended his school record with a touchdown pass in his 14th straight game. It was the 40th off his career, moving him into a tie with Todd Bandhauer for fifth on the school's all-time list.
In the end, Iowa State outgained Cincinnati 386 yards to 353 and held the Bearcats to 66 yards passing. Cincinnati managed only 121 yards after halftime.
