Rocco Becht leads Iowa State to Week 0 victory over Kansas State

Rocco Becht stars as No. 22 Iowa State beats No. 17 Kansas State 24-21 in Ireland

JEFF, WHAT A WAY TO KICK OFF THE SEASON. YEAH. CALEB. WE HAD FARMAGEDDON TURNED TO FARM, SO GETTING ONE OF THESE TEAMS WAS LOOKING TO LEAVE THE EMERALD ISLE. ONE STEP AHEAD OF THE REST OF THE BIG 12 CONFERENCE. THE AER LINGUS COLLEGE FOOTBALL CLASSIC, KICKING OFF THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON ONCE AGAIN, THIS RIVALRY TAKING CENTER STAGE. THE EYES OF THE NATION, THE EYES OF THE WORLD. YOU COULD SAY ON THIS GAME 109TH MEETING BETWEEN THE TWO AND THE CYCLONES SET UP WITH GREAT FIELD GOAL FIELD POSITION AFTER A MUFFED PUNT. AND THAT GOES WRONG. ABU SAMAH CAN’T HANDLE THE TOSS BALL ON THE GROUND. K-STATE RECOVERS. EACH TEAM HAD TWO FUMBLES IN THE FIRST HALF. CYCLONES, THOUGH, WOULD STRIKE FIRST. FIRST TOUCHDOWN OF THE 2025 COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON. ROCCO BACK TO DOM OVERBY, 23 YARD BEAUTY. CYCLONES TAKE A SEVEN NOTHING LEAD ACROSS THE POND. K-STATE, THOUGH, WOULD IMMEDIATELY RESPOND. FIRST PLAY OF THE SECOND QUARTER A READ OPTION. TAMATOA MCDONAGH FOOLED BY AVERY JOHNSON, SCOOTS INTO THE BIG BOX TIED AT SEVEN AND WE TAKE THAT TIE INTO THE HALF. IN THE SECOND HALF, WE GOT OUR PLAY OF THE DAY. ROCCO BACKED A DIME. BRETT ESKILSSON, THE SOPHOMORE FROM TEXAS, GETS THE FOOT DOWN TOUCHDOWN AND THEN HITS HIM WITH THE CONOR MCGREGOR CELEBRATION. CYCLONES TAKE A 14 SEVEN LEAD. IOWA STATE SECONDARY HAD SOME LAPSES IN THIS GAME. HERE’S ONE AVERY JOHNSON SCANNING. AND IT WAS NOT HARD TO FIND JACE BROWN ALL ALONE 37 YARDS TO THE HOUSE. WE’RE TIED AT 14 AFTER A KYLE CONRADI 34 YARD FIELD GOAL. IOWA STATE HAS A 1714 LEAD. AND THEY’RE GOING TO GET THEIR FIRST DOUBLE DIGIT LEAD OF THE GAME. ROCCO BACK ON THE GROUND, 2414 638 TO PLAY. AND IT LOOKED OVER. BUT ON THE FIRST PLAY OF THE ENSUING K-STATE POSSESSION, ANOTHER BREAKDOWN ON DEFENSE. THIS JUST CAN’T HAPPEN. IT’S JOHNSON FINDING A WIDE OPEN JARED BRADLEY. ONE PLAY, 65 YARDS AND NOW A THREE POINT GAME. CYCLONES TRYING TO END THE GAME. FOURTH DOWN AT THE 16 OF KANSAS STATE. AND THEY GOT THE GUTS TO GO FOR IT CARSON HANSON. THEY RULED A TOUCHDOWN. BUT HE’S DOWN AT THE ONE THAT WOULD DO IT. YOU TAKE A KNEE FROM THERE. CYCLONES GO ON TO WIN A THRILLER. HOW DO YOU DO. IT’S A PARTY IN TEMPLE BAR TONIGHT 2421. THIRD STRAIGHT WIN OVER THE KANSAS STATE WILDCATS. NOW SIX OF THE

Updated: 6:16 PM CDT Aug 23, 2025

Editorial Standards ⓘ

Rocco Becht stars as No. 22 Iowa State beats No. 17 Kansas State 24-21 in Ireland

Updated: 6:16 PM CDT Aug 23, 2025

Editorial Standards ⓘ

Rocco Becht passed for two touchdowns and ran for another score, helping No. 22 Iowa State beat No. 17 Kansas State 24-21 in the Aer Lingus Classic on Saturday. Becht was 14 for 28 for 183 yards. He found Dominic Overby for a 23-yard TD in the first quarter and passed to Brett Eskildsen for a 24-yard score in the third quarter.With 2:26 to go, Iowa State went for it on fourth-and-3 at the Kansas State 16-yard line. Becht found Carson Hansen for 15 yards and iced the game.The Cyclones (1-0, 1-0 Big 12) opened a 24-14 lead in the fourth quarter after a turnover on downs by Kansas State at its own 30-yard line. Becht finished the short drive with a 7-yard touchdown run with 6:38 left.Avery Johnson passed for 273 yards and two touchdowns for Kansas State (0-1, 0-1). He also had a 10-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.Johnson threw a 65-yard touchdown pass to Jerand Bradley with 6:23 remaining, but the Wildcats never got the ball back.Both teams struggled to deal with wet conditions in the first half. Kansas State had two turnovers and a turnover on downs while Iowa State committed two turnovers in the first 30 minutes.The Cyclones grabbed a 14-7 lead when Becht found Eskildsen in the corner of the end zone with 1:07 left in the third quarter.Johnson responded with a 37-yard touchdown pass to Jayce Brown, tying it at 14 with 14:09 remaining in the game.Carson Hansen led Iowa State with 71 yards rushing on 16 carries. Joe Jackson had 51 yards on 12 carries for Kansas State.Pop-Tarts uniteThe matchup featured the past two champions of the Pop-Tarts Bowl. To celebrate, the Frosted Wild Berry and Frosted Hot Fudge Sundae Pop-Tarts were on the sidelines for the showdown in Ireland.Edwards injuredKansas State running back Dylan Edwards was injured in the first quarter on a punt that he muffed. He didn't return to the game.The takeawayBecht looked like a veteran quarterback in the second half, leading his team with his arm and legs in a crucial opener.Up nextIowa State hosts South Dakota on Aug. 30, and Kansas State hosts North Dakota the same day.» Subscribe to ��vlog's YouTube page» Download the free ��vlog app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play

DUBLIN (AP) —

Rocco Becht passed for two touchdowns and ran for another score, helping No. 22 Iowa State beat No. 17 Kansas State 24-21 in the Aer Lingus Classic on Saturday.

Becht was 14 for 28 for 183 yards. He found Dominic Overby for a 23-yard TD in the first quarter and passed to Brett Eskildsen for a 24-yard score in the third quarter.

With 2:26 to go, Iowa State went for it on fourth-and-3 at the Kansas State 16-yard line. Becht found Carson Hansen for 15 yards and iced the game.

The Cyclones (1-0, 1-0 Big 12) opened a 24-14 lead in the fourth quarter after a turnover on downs by Kansas State at its own 30-yard line. Becht finished the short drive with a 7-yard touchdown run with 6:38 left.

Avery Johnson passed for 273 yards and two touchdowns for Kansas State (0-1, 0-1). He also had a 10-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.

Johnson threw a 65-yard touchdown pass to Jerand Bradley with 6:23 remaining, but the Wildcats never got the ball back.

Both teams struggled to deal with wet conditions in the first half. Kansas State had two turnovers and a turnover on downs while Iowa State committed two turnovers in the first 30 minutes.

The Cyclones grabbed a 14-7 lead when Becht found Eskildsen in the corner of the end zone with 1:07 left in the third quarter.

Johnson responded with a 37-yard touchdown pass to Jayce Brown, tying it at 14 with 14:09 remaining in the game.

Carson Hansen led Iowa State with 71 yards rushing on 16 carries. Joe Jackson had 51 yards on 12 carries for Kansas State.

Pop-Tarts unite

The matchup featured the past two champions of the Pop-Tarts Bowl. To celebrate, the Frosted Wild Berry and Frosted Hot Fudge Sundae Pop-Tarts were on the sidelines for the showdown in Ireland.

Edwards injured

Kansas State running back Dylan Edwards was injured in the first quarter on a punt that he muffed. He didn't return to the game.

The takeaway

Becht looked like a veteran quarterback in the second half, leading his team with his arm and legs in a crucial opener.

Up next

Iowa State hosts South Dakota on Aug. 30, and Kansas State hosts North Dakota the same day.

» Download the free ��vlog app to get updates on the go: |

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Rocco Becht stars as No. 22 Iowa State beats No. 17 Kansas State 24-21 in Ireland

Pop-Tarts unite

Edwards injured

The takeaway

Up next

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