Flora Finishes ISU’s Frantic Fourth Quarter Rally at TCU

FORT WORTH, Texas – For about three and half quarters of football, things looked grim for the Cyclones who were trying to snap a four-game skid. However, a 14-point fourth quarter, capped by a 79-yard punt return for a touchdown from Aiden Flora, propelled the Cyclones to a road victory on Saturday afternoon at TCU.

Iowa State's (6-4) offense looked out of sorts following its first-quarter touchdown drive. That was, until the final eight minutes of the game, as it overcame an 11-point TCU (6-3) fourth-quarter lead to earn its second road win of the season. ISU is now 10-4 in its last 14 road contests.

The win clinched bowl eligibility for the Cyclones, who have now qualified for the postseason in eight of Matt Campbell's 10 years in Ames. The win also pushed Coach Campbell to fifth-most wins in Big 12 Conference history, passing Mike Leach (TTU) and Gary Pinkel (MU).

Carson Hansen recorded his third-consecutive 100-yard rushing output and fourth of his career, as he finished with 108 yards on the ground and a touchdown. He would then go on to convert a two-point try on a later touchdown. That later touchdown came from Week 0 Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week Aiden Flora, who changed the whole momentum of the contest as he housed a 79-yard punt return to put ISU up late, 20-17. The return was ISU's first punt return for a touchdown since Trever Ryan's 68-yard return for a score against Kansas back in 2017.

On the defensive side of the ball, Kooper Ebel had a monster contest, recording a team-high 11 tackles while also forcing a fumble. Tre Bell also had himself a day, as the corner had an interception, a pass breakup and a forced fumble of his own. Josh Patterson also had an interception for the Cyclones, pulling in the first of his career, as the Cyclone defense forced three TCU turnovers.

The Horned Frogs outgained the Cyclones (432-272), recorded nearly double the amount of first downs (29-15), and ran 15 more plays – resulting in five more minutes of time of possession – but it wasn't enough as TCU lost at home for the first time since October 2024.

How it Happened
ISU started the game going three-and-out and was forced to punt. TCU's first drive of the game resulted in a turnover, as on the fourth play of the drive, Josh Hoover was hit as he threw by Ikenna Ezeogu and lofted a ball over his receiver's head to Bell who snagged it for ISU.

Starting at its own 35 after the interception, ISU went 65 yards in eight plays to punch in the game's first score on a 23-yard Rocco Becht pass to Benjamin Brahmer. Brahmer, who played despite a scare in last week's contest against Arizona State, muscled his way past multiple TCU defenders to reach over the goal line and score. The Cyclones would go for two and fail, going up 6-0.

After the two teams traded punts, TCU got the ball back on its own 14 with 6:44 remaining in the first. Hoover would then toss his second pick of the game, this time to Patterson, as ISU took over.

The two teams would trade blows in the first half, with TCU picking up a field goal with 9:09 left in the second quarter. Later in the second, with time winding down in the half, TCU drove down to attempt a field goal from the eight-yard line only to see it carom off the right upright and fall harmlessly back on the ground. ISU would take a 6-3 lead into the break.

The Horned Frogs came out of the half determined to change the narrative and did so, scoring on their first two drives. TCU possessed the ball for all but 5:37 of the third quarter, as it took a 17-6 lead with 13:30 remaining in the game.

ISU answered TCU's touchdown drive with one of their own, taking the ensuing possession and marching 75 yards in 11 plays to trim the lead to 17-12. The touchdown came courtesy of a Hansen one-yard plunge, but the two-point try following the score was no good.

Down five, ISU kicked the ball back to the Horned Frogs. A quick three-and-out for TCU meant they had to punt back to ISU. That punt, which went for 51 yards, drove Flora back to his 21 yard line. He would field it anyway, cutting through two defenders and hitting the afterburners to take it the distance and put the Cyclones up one with 6:51 left. The two point try, this time a dive by Hansen, was good and put ISU on top, 20-17.

TCU's next possession was a promising one, as it gained 25 yards in its first three plays. The fourth play, though, was disastrous as running back Jeremy Payne rushed for a gain of 28 only to see Bell tip the ball out from behind and ISU recover with 5:12 remaining.

Iowa State would drain over 4:30 off the clock, in part thanks to some huge Becht plays – a 15 yard third-down strike and a nine-yard naked boot run on fourth down, before kicking the ball back to TCU with 25 seconds left.

With no timeouts, TCU couldn't conjure a miracle, eventually falling to ISU, 17-20.

Next Up
The Cyclones will have a bye next week before returning to Jack Trice Stadium for the home finale against Kansas on Nov. 22. Tickets are available here.

Flora Finishes ISU’s Frantic Fourth Quarter Rally at TCU

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Rocco Becht

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Rocco Becht

Tre Bell

Benjamin Brahmer

Kooper Ebel

Ikenna Ezeogu

Aiden Flora

Carson Hansen

Josh Patterson

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Flora Finishes ISU’s Frantic Fourth Quarter Rally at TCU

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Team Stats

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Rocco Becht

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Rocco Becht

Tre Bell

Benjamin Brahmer

Kooper Ebel

Ikenna Ezeogu

Aiden Flora

Carson Hansen

Josh Patterson

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