No. 20 Kansas State Edges Past Cyclones

AMES – Iowa State made key defensive stops throughout the game, but could not make the plays it needed at the end and fell to 20th-ranked Kansas State 10-9 on Saturday night at MidAmerican Field at Jack Trice Stadium.

In losing for the third-straight time, the Cyclones fell to 3-3 overall and 0-3 in the Big 12. The three losses have come by a total of 11 points.

Freshman Jace Gilbert bounced back from a tough game in the Cyclones' loss at Kansas a week ago to kick three field goals, the last a 43-yarder that gave ISU a 9-7 lead in the final minute of the third quarter.

But Kansas State (5-1, 3-0 Big 12), which had been held in check since hitting on an 81-yard touchdown pass on its third offensive play of the game, got a 30-yard field goal from Chris Tennant to regain the lead with 7:14 left and the Cyclones couldn't capitalize after twice starting possessions at midfield.

Iowa State went three-and-out after getting the ball at the Kansas State 49 following an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the Wildcats. The Cyclones then forced a quick three-and-out and took over at their own 48 after a punt. But Hunter Dekkers threw incomplete on fourth down at the KSU 49 and the Wildcats ran out the clock.

Dekkers finished 22 of 38 for 198 yards and no interceptions. Xavier Hutchinson became the fastest Iowa State player to reach 200 career receptions with his fourth catch of the night. He had eight catches in all for 100 yards, the ninth 100-yard receiving game of his career.

Hutchinson has 204 receptions in his career and trails only Allen Lazard on the school's career list. Lazard, now with the Green Bay Packers, caught 241 passes in his ISU career.

Defensive end Will McDonald added two more sacks to run his career total to 32.5, which puts him alone in third place on the Big 12's career list. Colby Reeder also had sack, which forced a field goal try that Tennant missed.

Gilbert, who missed three times at Kansas, also connected from 35 and 44 yards. The 44-yarder was the longest of his career.

Kansas State came in leading the Big 12 in rushing at 267.2 yards a game. The Cyclones held the Wildcats to 131 yards on the ground, including just 48 in the first half. K-State's Deuce Vaughn, leading the league with a 117-yard average, managed only 23 yards in 10 carries before leaving the game at the start of the fourth quarter.

Iowa State's Anthony Johnson made one of the biggest defensive plays of the game when he raced from behind to poke the ball away from KSU receiver Malik Knowles as he was about to score at the end of a 68-yard play. Reeder fell on the ball in the end zone for a touchback.

It was the second straight league loss for the Cyclones at home, the first time that has happened since 2015. Iowa State will try to regroup next Saturday at Texas. Kickoff time is 11 a.m. CDT on ABC.

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Team Stats

Hunter Dekkers

Players Mentioned

Hunter Dekkers

Jace T. Gilbert

Xavier Hutchinson

Colby Reeder

Players Mentioned

Hunter Dekkers

Jace T. Gilbert

Xavier Hutchinson

Colby Reeder

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics