Iowa State’s Abu Sama III (offensive and newcomer), Oklahoma State’s Trey Rucker (defensive) and Baylor’s Richard Reese (special teams) picked up the season’s final Big 12 football weekly awards. Sama was honored for the second week in the last three while Reese was recognized for the third time in his career.

Making his first career start, Sama finished with 276 yards on 16 carries for a 17.2-yard average in Iowa State’s 42-35 win over K-State played in a snowstorm. The true freshman running back had a 71-yard rushing touchdown on the first play from scrimmage and added scoring runs of 77 and 60 yards later in the game. His 276 rushing yard total was the fourth-most in school history, most in a road game in school history and the most by a Cyclone freshman. Sama was the second FBS player since 1996 with three or more rushing touchdowns of 60 yards against a ranked opponent and the first player in the Big 12 to have two 70-plus yard rushing touchdowns in a game since Adrian Peterson in 2005. His 276 yards were the fourth-most in a single game in the FBS this season. Sama also had one reception for 11 yards as ISU improved from one Big 12 win in 2022 to six conference wins this season, the biggest improvement by a zero or one-win team in league history.

Rucker recorded both of OSU’s forced turnovers in the Cowboys’ 40-34 double-overtime win over BYU to reach the Big 12 Championship. He made the game-clinching play on the final snap of the game when he wrestled down a 6-6, 255-pound tight end while ripping out the ball to force a fumble right before the ball carrier was down. Rucker then immediately recovered the ball while still on the ground to end the game and send the Cowboys to Arlington. Earlier in the game, the university studies major recovered a fumble at the BYU 19-yard line that led to OSU’s second score of the game. The senior safety finished with six total tackles, including five solo stops and a third-down solo stop in the fourth quarter that forced a punt and led to an OSU touchdown on the following drive.

Reese returned two kickoffs for touchdowns in Baylor’s game against West Virginia. Trailing 10-0, Reese raced 96 yards to get the Bears on the board. On the very next WVU kickoff, Reese took another one back 93 yards to pull BU back within three again at 17-14. The sophomore communication major became just the second Baylor player in program history with two kick return TDs in the same game, and the first to do so on consecutive kicks. He finished the game with 247 return yards on five attempts.

IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa defensive coordinator and secondary coach Phil Parker is one of five finalists for the Broyles Award, it was announced Monday by the Frank & Barbara Broyles Foundation. The Broyles Award is presented annually to the top assistant coach in college football.

Parker is the only defensive coach among the five finalists for the distinguished award. Other finalists include offensive coordinators from Georgia (Mike Bobo), LSU (Mike Denbrock), Michigan (Sherrone Moore) and Oregon (Will Stein).

Parker was named a Broyles Award semifinalist for the second straight year on Nov. 20. Two Hawkeye coaches — Norm Parker (2013) and Ron Aiken (2002) — have been named the AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year. Norm Parker was also a finalist in 2004 and 2005.

The finalists will travel to Little Rock, Arkansas, for the award ceremony on Dec. 5.

Parker, who is in his 25th season on Iowa’s coaching staff (12th as defensive coordinator), has been the mastermind behind one of the nation’s top defenses in 2023. The Hawkeyes have allowed just 13 touchdowns in 12 games (tied for fewest in the NCAA with Ohio State) and the unit ranks fourth nationally, giving up 12.2 points per game.

The Hawkeyes have given up one touchdown or less in 10 of 12 games this season and the unit is ranked in the top 17 nationally in total defense for a sixth straight year. The team is currently seventh in total defense, allowing 279.9 yards per game. Iowa’s defense has allowed 400 yards or less in 23 straight games dating back to the 2021 season — the longest active streak nationally.

One of Parker’s main principles is limiting “explosive” plays. In 2023, the Hawkeyes have allowed just 18 such plays in the team’s first 12 games.

Across the board, Iowa ranks in the top 25 nationally in virtually every defensive category this season, sitting third in red zone defense (.708), fourth in team passing efficiency defense (99.46), seventh in total defense (279.9), 10th in first downs defense (192), 16th in rushing defense (105.6) and 23rd in third down conversion defense (.325).

Under Parker’s tutelage, three defensive players — DB Cooper DeJean, DB Sebastian Castro and LB Jay Higgins — were midseason All-Americans. DeJean is a finalist for the Nagurski Award and a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award and Lott IMPACT Trophy, while Higgins was a semifinalist for the Butkus Award.

The Hawkeyes return to action Dec. 2, traveling to Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship Game. Iowa will face nationally-ranked Michigan at 7:17 p.m. (CT) at Lucas Oil Stadium.

2023 Broyles Award Finalists

Mike Bobo (Offensive Coordinator/QB — Georgia

Phil Parker (Defensive Coordintaor/Secondary) — Iowa 

Mike Denbrock (Offensive Coordinator/TE) — LSU

Sherrone Moore (Offensive Coordinator/OL) — Michigan

Will Stein (Offensive Coordinator) — Oregon

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Iowa State (5-2, 0-0 Big 12) dropped its second game in a row on Sunday night, falling to No. 12 Texas A&M (6-1, 0-0 SEC) in the third-place game of the ESPN Events Invitational by a score of 73-69.

After leading by as many as 21 points in the first half, uncharacteristic turnovers and a poor shooting performance allowed the Aggies to sneak back in the game before they ultimately wrestled away control in the second half.

Iowa State claimed fourth place in the Thanksgiving MTE, marking three top-four finishes across the past three seasons under T.J. Otzelberger (first place in 2021 NIT Tip-Off, second place in 2022 Phil Knight Invitational).

The Cyclones had four players score in double figures on the day, as freshman Milan Momcilovic led the way with 15 points, knocking down four 3-pointers. Keshon Gilbert had 14 points to go along with a season-high seven assists, knocking down a pair of triples and going 4-4 from the charity stripe. Tamin Lipsey and Curtis Jones rounded out the double-figure scorers, with Lipsey earning his second career double-double as he tallied 10 points and a career-high 14 rebounds.

The Aggies had just two in double figures, as SEC Preseason Player of the Year Wade Baldwin IV was held in check for the most part by ISU, scoring 14 points on 5-15 shooting from the floor. Baldwin IV was forced into turning the ball over eight times. Solomon Washington led the way for TAMU, scoring 18 on 66.7 percent shooting with six boards.

How It Happened

Iowa State played its best basketball of the tournament in the first half, jumping on the former Big 12 foe early, holding a 12-point lead at the under-eight media timeout. A Momcilovic jumper and 3-pointer would extend the Cyclone lead to 17 with 5:38 remaining.

Back-to-back baskets from Jones pushed the ISU lead to its largest of the game – 21 – at the 2:44 mark as Iowa State held a 35-14 advantage.

The Aggies were able to close the first half strong, going on an 11-0 run, using a pair of threes and jumpers along with some free throws to trim the halftime deficit to 35-25. Gilbert led the Cyclones in scoring at the break with nine, while Washington led TAMU with 10.

Texas A&M started the second half like it ended the first, using another run to cut the ISU lead to just four by the under-16 media timeout. The Aggies would knot the score at 13:09 and take the lead with 12:30 left on an Andersson Garcia second-chance basket. From there, TAMU held the lead the remainder of the way.

The Cyclones were able to cut the lead to one five times in the final 12 minutes but were unable to get over the hump. ISU made things interesting late, as it was within one possession with under ten seconds left, but TAMU held firm to secure the win.

 Top Performer

As previously mentioned, Lipsey recorded his second career double-double, tallying a personal best 14 rebounds. He averaged a team-best 16.7 points per game in the tournament as well as a team-high 8.7 rebounds, setting the tone for the Cyclones in all three games. Lipsey also had 12 assists and nine steals across the last three games.

 Notes

• Tre King is three points short of 200 in his ISU career.
• Jackson Paveletzke played in his 40th career game today.
• Curtis Jones hit his 100th career 3-pointer today, knocking down a pair.
• Jones is three points short of 600 in his career.
• Keshon Gilbert surpassed 1,500 career minutes played today.
• Milan Momcilovic is one point shy of 100 on the season.

 What’s Next

Following the ESPN Events Invitational, Iowa State will hit the road for a Friday night game in Chicago against DePaul on December 1. Friday’s game is part of the BIG EAST/Big 12 Battle and will tip off at 7:30 p.m. and be televised by FS1.