MANHATTAN, KANSAS – Kansas State scored the final 13 points of the game on Saturday night at Bill Snyder Family Stadium to surge past Iowa State, 27-17. The Cyclones end the 2019 regular season 7-5 overall and 5-4 in Big 12 action, while Kansas State improved to 8-4 overall and 5-4 in conference action.
Following a rocky start, Iowa State righted the ships with a strong second quarter to secure a 14-14 tie at the intermission. K-State opened the game with a 92-yard kick-off return for a touchdown by Joshua Youngblood, and added a 13-play, 98-yard touchdown drive early in the second quarter to go ahead 14-0.
The Cyclones, who punted on their first four possessions of the night, then ended the half with back-to-back touchdown drives. Iowa State’s first scoring drive, highlighted by a Brock Purdy-to-La’Michael Pettway conversion on fourth and 13, culminated in a 15-yard touchdown pass from Purdy to Sean Shaw Jr. The score cut K-State’s lead to 14-7 with 5:59 to play in the half.
Tarique Milton hauled in a 60-yard reception on the ensuing Cyclone drive to set up yet another scoring opportunity. Freshman Breece Hall found pay dirt to cap the drive with a one-yard rush on fourth down, as the Cyclones knotted the game at 14-14 with under 42 seconds remaining in the half.
The defense kept momentum rolling in Iowa State’s favor after the intermission, creating turnovers on K-State’s first two possessions of the third quarter. Will McDonald notched a strip sack, recovered by Enyi Uwazurike, followed by a Greg Eisworth interception. Both turnovers set the Cyclones up in Wildcat territory, and the Cyclones took advantage of Eisworth’s pick with a 37-yard Connor Assalley field goal to give ISU its first lead of the game at 17-14 with 6:49 to play in the third quarer.
K-State responded with a 43-yard field goal to tie the game, and then regained the lead on a 15-yard touchdown run by Jordon Brown with 10:24 to play in the game. The Wildcats added a 27-yard field goal by Blake Lynch with just 3:04 to play to extend the lead to 27-17.
Purdy finished the game 15-for-30 for 185 passing yards and one touchdown through the air.
Out of the backfield, Hall finished with 59 rushing yards and one touchdown. Tarique Milton was Iowa State’s leading receiver with four catches for 78 yards.
Defensively, Will McDonald finished with two sacks.
Greg Eisworth tallied his second career interception, to go with six solo tackles.
Iowa State set a single-season record for passing touchdowns (20), first downs (284), points scored (409) and total offense (5,504).
Iowa State concludes the 2019 regular season with a record of 7-5 overall and 5-4 in Big 12 play. The Cyclones will now await their bowl destination, which will be announced Sunday, Dec. 8. Stay tuned to Cyclones.com for more information.
