Completed Event: Football versus #15 Utah on September 26, 2026 , Loss , 17, to, 31
Iowa State University Athletics
Photo by: Jeff Spaur
11.12.2026 | Football
AMES, Iowa – Iowa State running back Aiden Flora has been named a finalist for the 2026 Paul Hornung Award presented by Texas Roadhouse, given annually to the most versatile player in major college football.
Flora is one of the most dynamic and versatile players in the country as the only FBS player dating back to 2000 with a punt return touchdown, two passing touchdowns and nine rushing touchdowns in the same season. He is the third player in Big 12 history, and the first since 2017, with a passing, rushing and punt return TD in the same season.
A big play threat, Flora has accounted for seven scores of 40-plus yards this season (5 rush, 1 pass, 1 punt return).
The Adel, Iowa native has four games this season with 200-plus all-purpose yards, tied for the most in the country. In the last 25 years, only three other Big 12 players have had as many such games in a season – 2024 Cam Skattebo (ASU), 2019 Chubba Hubbard (OSU), 2002 Quentin Griffin (OU).
Flora ranks among the nation's top-10 in all-purpose yards (1,365, sixth) and all-purpose yards per game (151.7, sixth). Flora leads the Big 12 and ranks fifth nationally in rushing yards (1,119) and owns the three best single-game rushing performances in the league this season.
Flora, the first Cyclone since Breece Hall (2021) with a 1,000-yard rushing season, did so in just 136 carries. It is the fewest carries to reach 1,000 yards by a Cyclone in school history (Troy Davis, 1995 – 153; Breece Hall, 2020 – 155; Mike Warren, 2015 – 173; Troy Davis, 1996 – 175).
Fans can vote for Flora online, here: https://poll.fm/17675224.
Iowa State is back in action Saturday hosting Cincinnati in Jack Trice Stadium. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. on TNT and tickets are still available, HERE.
2026 Paul Hornung Award Finalists
Devon Dampier, Utah
Aiden Flora, Iowa State
Wayne Knight, UCLA
Easton Messer, FAU
Dylan Riley, Boise State
Malachi Toney, Miami
J'Koby Williams, Texas Tech
Players Mentioned
RB
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