Rocco Becht Stars as No. 22 Iowa State Edges No. 17 Kansas State 24-21 in Ireland

AP Photo/Peter Morrison

DUBLIN — Rocco Becht put together a gritty performance overseas, passing for two touchdowns and rushing for another as No. 22 Iowa State held off No. 17 Kansas State 24–21 in the Aer Lingus Classic on Saturday. Becht finished 14 of 28 for 183 yards through the air, adding a decisive 7-yard rushing score late in the fourth quarter. His poise in clutch moments helped the Cyclones (1–0, 1–0 Big 12) secure their fifth win over the Wildcats in the last six meetings. The junior quarterback set the tone early, connecting with Dominic Overby for a 23-yard touchdown in the first quarter. After a back-and-forth stretch marked by turnovers in the soggy Dublin conditions, Becht gave Iowa State a 14–7 advantage just before halftime with a 24-yard strike to Brett Eskildsen. Kansas State (0–1, 0–1) battled back behind sophomore quarterback Avery Johnson, who threw for 273 yards and two scores while adding a 10-yard rushing touchdown. Johnson tied the game at 14 early in the fourth quarter with a 37-yard touchdown to Jayce Brown. But Becht and the Cyclones answered. After Kansas State turned the ball over on downs deep in its own territory, Becht powered in from 7 yards out to push the lead to 24–14 with 6:38 remaining. Johnson responded with a 65-yard touchdown pass to Jerand Bradley just moments later, but the Wildcats never saw the ball again.

Facing a critical fourth-and-3 at the Kansas State 16 with just over two minutes to play, Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell put the game in Becht’s hands. The quarterback delivered, finding Carson Hansen for a 15-yard gain to seal the win. “He called a great play, gave me two options, and trusted me to make the right choice,” Becht said. “We’ve worked on it in practice, and I knew we had the confidence to get it done.” Hansen led the Cyclones on the ground with 71 yards on 16 carries, while Kansas State’s Joe Jackson posted 51 yards on 12 attempts. Both teams struggled with the wet turf in the first half, combining for four turnovers. Campbell praised his team’s ability to settle down after the break. “We just made some great adjustments,” he said. “Our staff has been together a long time, and our guys executed when it mattered most.”

The game also marked a quirky celebration of the teams’ recent postseason history — both Iowa State and Kansas State won the Pop-Tarts Bowl in the past two seasons. To honor the connection, Frosted Wild Berry and Hot Fudge Sundae Pop-Tart mascots roamed the sidelines in Dublin. Kansas State suffered a setback when running back Dylan Edwards left the game in the first quarter after muffing a punt. He did not return. For Iowa State, the trip overseas ended with a statement victory. “Any time you beat a quality opponent, it’s big,” Campbell said. “It’s only game one, though. Now we find out if we’re tough enough to go home, regroup, and get ready for a good South Dakota team next week.”