BYU Football Suffers Devastating Blowout Loss as Iowa State Dominates Ground Game
In a crushing defeat, the BYU football team faced a devastating blowout loss at the hands of Iowa State. The Cougars were completely dominated by their opponents, as Iowa State’s ground game ran circles around them. The Cyclones accumulated an impressive 234 yards and scored four touchdowns on the ground, leading them to a resounding 45-13 victory over BYU.
This latest loss adds to the Cougars’ recent struggles. Over their last three games, BYU has been outscored by a staggering 117-26 margin, with defeats against Iowa State, West Virginia, and Texas. The defeat against Iowa State was particularly tough for BYU as it marked their first home loss after four consecutive victories at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
With a record of 5-5 overall and 2-5 in the Big 12, the Cougars are facing an uphill battle to become bowl eligible. They will need to win either against #17 Oklahoma at home next week or #15 Oklahoma State on the road in two weeks to secure a spot in a bowl game.
The game got off to a disastrous start for BYU, with Jake Retzlaff, in just his second career start, throwing an interception on the team’s very first play. Iowa State quickly took advantage of the turnover, capitalizing with a touchdown pass from Rocco Becht to Jaylin Noel. To compound BYU’s woes, they fumbled the ensuing kickoff, allowing Iowa State to add a field goal and take a commanding 10-0 lead before BYU could even run their second play.
Despite these early setbacks, BYU did manage to put together a scoring drive of their own. They marched 75 yards down the field, culminating in Retzlaff’s first career touchdown pass to JoJo Phillips, who made his first-ever catch for the Cougars. However, Iowa State then went on a tear, scoring 21 unanswered points to close out the first half. Eli Sanders, Cartevious Norton, and Abu Sama III all found the end zone with rushing touchdowns.
Sama was particularly impressive for Iowa State, finishing the game with 110 yards and two touchdowns on just eight carries. He was instrumental in Iowa State’s ground dominance, as they averaged 6.3 yards per carry against the BYU defense.
In the second half, the Cougars managed to reduce the deficit to 31-13 with a trick play that saw wide receiver Parker Kingston connecting with Isaac Rex for a 26-yard touchdown pass. However, any hopes of a miraculous comeback were quickly dashed as Iowa State’s Becht found Noel for a 66-yard touchdown catch and carry, followed by Sama’s 59-yard touchdown run.
Retzlaff, filling in for the injured Kedon Slovis, completed 10 of 27 passes for 104 yards but was intercepted twice. He did contribute on the ground, leading the Cougars in rushing with 64 yards on 17 carries. Aidan Robbins and LJ Martin also had solid rushing performances for BYU, both accumulating 58 yards.
Rex was the top receiver for the Cougars, finishing the game with three catches for 52 yards and a touchdown. Becht had an impressive outing for Iowa State, completing 15 of 23 passes for 203 yards and two touchdowns. Noel was a major contributor to their aerial attack with five catches for 98 yards and two scores.
Iowa State dominated BYU in total yardage, amassing 443 yards compared to BYU’s 318. The Cyclones also forced three turnovers, further adding to BYU’s struggles.
Looking ahead, the Cougars will try to regroup and bounce back on Senior Day as they face a tough challenge against Oklahoma at LaVell Edwards Stadium. It will be a crucial game for their bowl eligibility hopes, and they will need to rally their spirits and put in a strong performance.
