Dominant Second Half Pushes No. 11 BYU past Iowa State, 41-27

AMES, Iowa – After falling behind 24-10 late in the second quarter, No. 11 BYU responded by outsourcing Iowa State 31-3 the remainder of the game to keep the Cougars undefeated at 8-0, atop the Big 12 Conference standings.

Coming into the game having never before beaten Iowa State, the Cougars put up a commanding second half, powered by the defense holding the Cyclones to only a field goal in the final two quarters. BYU struck twice in 42 seconds in the fourth quarter, as Bear Bachmeier hit Parker Kingston for a 27-yard touchdown and Fatelau Satuala snatched a pick-six, the first of his career, to give the Cougars a two-score advantage.

The win was the third this season for BYU after trailing by multiple scores on the road.

The Bachmeier and Kingston duo recorded two touchdowns in tonight’s matchup. Bachmeier posted 307 passing yards, 49 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. In 21-straight games, Iowa State has not allowed a 300-yard passer. The Murrieta Valley, Calif. native now has six games with at least one passing touchdown and one rushing touchdown to lead the country. Kingston marked a new career-high 133 receiving yards. In his first four games this season, Kingston had 105 receiving yards and no touchdowns, and in his last four games, the junior has amassed 408 receiving yards and six total touchdowns.

Satuala led the team in tackles with 10 to go along with his crucial interception. Evan Johnson and Logan Lutui each recorded a takeaway themselves, and with Mory Bamba’s fumble recovery on a punt late in the third quarter, BYU won the turnover battle, 4-0.

This win marks back-to-back seasons with 8-0 starts for the Cougars. It is the third 8-0 start under head coach Kalani Sitake and the sixth in program history.

First Quarter

BYU won the toss and elected to receive the ball in the second half. After a touchback, the Cyclone offense took the field and on the first play of the game, quarterback Rocco Becht found receiver Brett Eskildsen down the sideline for a 75-yard touchdown. With its extra point, Iowa State took an early 7-0 lead.

Bachmeier, Chase Roberts and LJ Martin responded with a 5-play, 68-yard touchdown drive. After a one-yard pick up from Martin, Bachmeier hit Roberts with a 14-yard completion to grab the first down. Martin followed with a four-yard run and another Bachmeier-to-Roberts connection, this time for 45 yards, placed BYU at the Cyclone 4. Martin marched into the end zone on first-and-goal to cap off the scoring drive. Will Ferrin made the extra point, his 100th in a row, to tie the game 7-7 with 12:13 left in the quarter.

Becht and the Iowa State offense came back in and connected on several throws to set them up at BYU’s 21-yard line. Following a gain of three from running back Abu Sama, Becht recorded back-to-back incompletions, bringing up fourth-and-seven. The Cyclone kicking team came out and made a 36-yarder, retaking their lead, 10-7 with 8:08 on the clock.

On the ensuing kickoff, holding was called on BYU, placing the ball at the BYU 17. A sack and two-straight false starts pushed the Cougars back to their own two-yard line for second-and-long. The Cougar offense was unable to get the first down and punted.

After a six-yard pass to the Iowa State 46, running back Carson Hansen recorded multiple long carries, his longest being 16 yards, eventually reaching the BYU 2. On first-and-goal, Hansen rushed up the middle into the end zone, extending the Cyclone advantage to 10 with one minute to go in the opening quarter.

Back-to-back three-yard carries from Martin brought up third-and-four before first quarter time would expire.

Second Quarter

Bachmeier found Kingston for the first down, but an incomplete pass and another holding penalty on BYU brought up second-and-20. A four-yard run and 10-yard pickup from Ryan would not be enough for the first down, bringing out Sam Vander Haar and the punt team again.

Iowa State’s offense would take the field again and Sama opened the drive with a 28-yard carry to the BYU 47 before Satuala knocked him out of bounds. Becht completed a 24-yard pass to receiver Benjamin Brahmer for a second consecutive Cyclone first down. On the next play, Becht’s pass was picked off by Lutui, who then ran it back 15 yards to the BYU 27.

Two-straight plays with no gain brought up third-and-10, where Bachmeier launched to Kingston. The Layton, Utah native caught the ball at the BYU 49 and charged to the Iowa State 28-yard line. The Cyclone defense forced two incompletions and sacked Bachmeier, which made BYU face another fourth down. Ferrin made a 50-yard field goal, which made the score 17-10 with 8:54 remaining in the first half.

The Cyclones powered a 12-play, 80-yard scoring drive, again led by Hansen. On third-and-three at the Iowa State 38, Becht connected on a nine-yard pass for a first down. Sama added 14 yards on the next play and Hansen followed with three straight carries, moving the ball to the Cougar 24. On third-and-one at BYU’s 17-yard line, Hansen rushed right and gained 14 yards. On the ensuing play, the running back took the direct snap and ran into the end zone, and with the extra point, put Iowa State up 14 over the Cougars.

With 1:43 remaining, Bachmeier and the offense took the field. Two short passes to Enoch Nawahine set up another third down. Bachmeier connected with Kingston for 15 yards, with Kingston getting out of bounds to stop the clock. On the following play, Bachmeier hit his brother, Tiger Bachmeier, on a 17-yard gain. Immediately after, Bear Bachmeier kept the ball himself for an eight-yard run, but two consecutive incompletions forced a fourth-and-two from the Cyclone 14. On fourth down, Bear Bachmeier ran left for seven yards to move the chains. After a spike and a false start on the Cougars, the ball was placed at the Iowa State 12-yard line. On second-and-goal, Bear Bachmeier found Kingston in the back of the end zone for a touchdown, and paired with Ferrin’s extra point, BYU made it a one-possession game, 24-17.

Iowa State returned to the field with 24 seconds to play. Hansen took the snap and was sacked for a loss of six yards by Anisi Purcell, his second at BYU and seventh of his career, to close the half.

Third Quarter

The kickoff went out of bounds, giving BYU the ball at its own 35-yard line. After two straight plays with no gain, Bear Bachmeier fired downfield to Roberts for a 27-yard third-down conversion. Bear Bachmeier went deep again, this time finding Kingston for 19 yards. A seven-yard gain set up third-and-three at the Cyclone 12. Preston Rex picked up the first down with a three-yard run, but a short Bear Bachmeier gain, a negative play and an incomplete pass to Kingston in the end zone forced BYU to send out the kicking unit. Ferrin drilled the field goal from 27 yards, making it a four-point game with 10:52 on the clock.

BYU’s defense forced a three-and-out on Becht and the Cyclone offense. The defense started the second half just like it ended the first, with another sack. Viliami Po’uha recorded his first career sack, pushing the Cyclones back nine yards. On second-and-19, Becht hit receiver Gabe Burkle for 10 yards, but on the following play, Becht scrambled and Nusi Taumoepeau forced him out of bounds four yards short of the line to gain.

Starting at the BYU 21, Bear Bachmeier passed three yards to Roberts, who then picked up 18 yards after the catch. Preston Rex rushed up the middle for a gain of nine on second-and-10, and on the next snap, Bear Bachmeier was just inches short of the first down after the keeper. On fourth down, the true freshman quarterback rushed two yards to get the first down, and then picked up another first down off a 14-yard rush up the middle. On second-and-10, Bear Bachmeier hit Tiger Bachmeier for eight yards, but an incomplete pass forced fourth-and-two at the Cyclone 25. The offense stayed on the field and Bear Bachmeier found Roberts for seven yards. On the catch, Roberts was brought down on a face mask penalty, which put the ball at Iowa State’s nine-yard line. On the ensuing play, Bear Bachmeier kept it himself and powered nine yards for the touchdown to take BYU’s first lead of the game. Ferrin made the extra point, putting the Cougars up 27-24 with 4:33 remaining in the third quarter.

On the Cyclone’s first play of their next drive, Hansen rushed 65 yards into Cougar territory, reaching the BYU 10. After the defense stuffed the Cyclones on first-and-10, Becht scrambled for a gain of four but a holding penalty pushed Iowa State back to the 20-yard line. An incomplete pass set up third-and-20, where Becht fumbled but recovered the ball himself for a five-yard loss. BYU’s defense held Iowa State to a field goal, which knotted the game at 27.

After Iowa State’s defense forced a three-and-out, Vander Haar’s punt was touched by the foot of a Cyclone who was being blocked by Kevin Doe and Bamba jumped on it, giving BYU the ball at Iowa State’s 35.

A two-yard completion to Rex would close the quarter.

Fourth Quarter

Bear Bachmeier hit Roberts for a four-yard gain to open the final quarter. On third-and-four, Bear Bachmeier aired it out to Kingston, who made a contested catch at the goal line for a touchdown. Ferrin’s extra point pushed BYU in front, 34-27.

John Taumoepeau took down Sama after a one-yard gain, and on the Cyclone’s second-and-10, Satuala snatched Becht’s pass and bolted into the end zone for the pick six, advancing the Cougar lead to 41-27 as Ferrin made the extra point.

On third-and-six from Iowa State’s 39, Becht found Brahmer for 14 yards to get the first down. Two more short gains gave them the first down again, but a short run, incompletion and negative play set the Cyclones up for fourth-and-four. A Becht-to-Brahmer six-yard pass helped them convert and reach BYU’s 23-yard line. Lutui stuffed Sama for no gain on the following play. Johnson broke up Becht’s next pass, bringing up third-and-10. Aiden Flora dropped Becht’s pass at the 3, creating a fourth-and-10. Iowa State’s offense remained on the field, where Therrian Alexander III broke up Becht’s pass to prevent a Cyclone touchdown and turnover on downs with 8:14 left.

Despite getting the first down on second-and-five, BYU was unable to move the chains after that point, so Vander Haar punted and gave Iowa State the ball at their own 16 with 5:06 remaining.

Becht opened the next Iowa State possession with two quick passes, advancing to the 38-yard line. What started as a first-and-10 quickly became first-and-15 as a false start was called on the Cyclones. Three-straight long completions advanced Iowa State into BYU’s territory, reaching the Cougar 26. On first-and-10, Bodie Schoonover sacked Becht for a loss of three and on the next snap, Jack Kelly hurried Becht, forcing an incompletion. Another Cyclone false start pushed them back to a third-and-18, but a holding penalty was called on Bamba to give Iowa State the first down. A 16-yard pass to Brahmer advanced Iowa State to BYU’s eight-yard line. A scoring play followed, but was called off on an Iowa State holding penalty. On first-and-goal at the 18, Schoonover sacked Becht again for a 14-yard loss. On second-and-32, the Cyclones gained six yards, but the next play fell incomplete on third down. Johnson snatched Becht’s desperation pass on fourth down for an interception and put the finishing touch on a 41-27 win.

Up Next

BYU continues its road stretch after a bye next week. The Cougars are set to take on Texas Tech on Saturday, Nov. 8 at Jones AT&T Stadium. Kickoff time and broadcast details will be announced later.