AMES – Iowa State honors the life and legacy of stadium namesake Jack Trice Saturday when it plays host to TCU in the Jack Trice Legacy Game presented by Nationwide. The Cyclones are 19-5 in their last 24 Big 12 home games. Televised on FS2 at 7 PM.
As Iowa State continues its year-long celebration of Jack Trice, the Cyclones will wear throwback jerseys that feature multiple elements honoring Trice’s era (see page 6) … there will be a closing ceremony held on central campus Sunday at noon.
Game No. 15 between the Cyclones and Horned Frogs takes place this weekend at Jack Trice Stadium, the sixth meeting between the schools in Ames … TCU leads the series 9-5, but it is tied at 3-3 for games played in Ames … ISU has won the last three games in Ames by an average of 22 points.
The Cyclones have won three of the last four meetings in the series, but last season No. 4 TCU handed ISU its worst loss of the Campbell era (62-14) … it was one of just two losses for the Cyclones last season that wasn’t decided by one score.
The game was the first extended action of Rocco Becht’s career after an injury forced Hunter Dekkers out of the game … Becht completed 7-of-13 passes for 65 yards and an interception … he entered the game on the first possession of the second half.
Running back Eli Sanders had the best game of his career to that point, rushing seven times for 91 yards, including a career-long of 43 yards.
ISU DL Trent Jones and TCU LB Namdi Obiazor were high school teammates at Minnesota powerhouse Eden Prairie High School.
ISU’s defensive unit is tied for third in the Big 12 with six interceptions … sophomore defensive back Jeremiah Cooper leads the nation with four interceptions after picking off a pass against Oklahoma.
Quarterback Rocco Becht has tossed a TD in his first five games as a starter … in the last 20 seasons, Kyle Kempt holds the longest streak at the school at eight games.
Becht had a pair of TD passes at OU, hitting Jaylin Noel for a 51-yard score and Jayden Higgins for a 61-yard touchdown … Becht has nine passing touchdowns this season, third-most by a freshman in school history and tracking to pass Brock Purdy’s record of 16 … he is third nationally among freshmen in passing touchdowns.
Jaylin Noel has 12 receptions for 194 yards and two touchdowns the last two games … he has a reception in 24 consecutive games, the sixth-longest streak in school history … Noel ranks 25th nationally with 6.0 receptions per game.
Junior Beau Freyler leads the Cyclones and is 11th in the Big 12 Conference with 35 tackles … Freyler also has one of Iowa State’s six interceptions, one off the team total from a season ago.
Punter Tyler Perkins is seventh nationally in punting average at 47.5 yards … 14 of his 30 punts have stopped inside the 20, while 12 have gone for 50-plus yards.
Kicker Chase Contreraz has connected on six field goals of 40+ yards this season, tied for the fourth-most in a single season in school history and tied for the most nationally this season.
Iowa State dropped a 50-20 game to No. 14 Oklahoma last weekend at Gaylor Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman.
