AMES, Iowa (Via Cyclones.com) – Iowa State challenged seventh-ranked Texas throughout the game before the Longhorns pulled out a 26-16 victory in the Cyclones’ home finale at MidAmerican Field at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday night. The Senior Night loss dropped Iowa State (6-5, 5-3 Big 12) two games behind the Big 12-leading Longhorns with one to play. Texas (10-1, 7-1) secured no worse than a tie for the regular-season championship with the victory, just its second over the Cyclones in their last five meetings.

ISU’s Rocco Becht passed for 323 yards and two touchdowns to break two of Brock Purdy’s freshman school records, raising his season totals to 2,444 yards and 17 touchdowns. Purdy, now the starter for the San Francisco 49ers, threw for 2,250 yards and 16 TDs in 2018. Becht was sharp 24-of-32 with one interception. It just wasn’t enough to offset the Longhorns’ Quinn Ewers and CJ Baxter. Ewers passed for 281 yards and two touchdowns, while Baxter carried 20 times for 117 yards and helped Texas run out the clock over the final 3:20.

The Cyclones did sack Ewers four times, all in the first half. Joey Petersen had two of those sacks. Both offenses perked up in the second half after the opening half ended with Texas leading 6-3, a score that should have been no surprise given the team teams came in ranked 1-2 in the league in total defense.

Ewers found Jordan Whittington behind the defense for a 23-yard touchdown that stretched the Texas lead to 13-3. ISU came right back with a seven-play, 83-yard drive capped when Brecht rolled to his right, then threw back across the field to Eli Sanders for a 14-yard touchdown. Texas blocked the extra point kick and Austin Jordan ran it back the other way for 2 points, giving the Longhorns a 15-9 lead.

Terrin Thompson’s diving interception off Becht set up Ewers’ 31-yard touchdown pass to Gunnar Helm, but the Cyclones struck back quickly when Becht connected with Easton Dean, who was wide open in the middle of the field and took it to the end zone for a 66-yard touchdown, matching Becht’s longest scoring pass of the season. That cut the lead to 23-16 and kept the Cyclones within striking distance. But Auburn kicked his third field goal of the night, a 42-yarder, to make it a 10-point game and then Texas finished it off after forcing an ISU punt.

A sellout crowd of 61,500 – the third full house of the year – saw 14 seniors honored before the game and then watched the Cyclones get on the board first when Chase Contreraz kicked a 45-yard field goal with 3:27 left in the first quarter. Texas answered early in the second quarter when Auburn connected from 39 yards. That came after a Ewers touchdown pass was nullified by a holding call.

The Cyclones thwarted a long Texas drive when Jeremiah Cooper jarred the ball from Xavier Worthy and Will McLaughlin recovered at the ISU 9.  Iowa State punted it back to the Longhorns and Worthy returned it 85 yards for a touchdown, only to have it called back for a block in the back. The Longhorns recovered quickly and put Auburn in position to kick a 50-yard field goal as time expired in the half for the 6-3 lead. Jayden Higgins had a big night catching the ball for Iowa State, finishing with seven receptions in seven targets for 104 yards. Jaylin Noel caught five balls for 45 yards.

Iowa State concludes the regular season at Kansas State next Saturday (Nov. 25th). The kickoff time has yet to be announced.