West Virginia had the offense rolling when it needed to, but a late turnover ended the Mountaineers’ chances in a wild finish at Jack Trice Stadium.
Michael Hawkins Jr. accounted for four touchdowns, while Cam Cook rushed for 142 yards and two scores, but Iowa State answered every Mountaineer push. Read more: Hawkins, Cook shine, but late turnover costs WVU in 45-42 loss to Iowa State.
A late fumble by DJ Epps gave the Cyclones one final opportunity, and Iowa State took advantage to escape with a 45-42 victory.
Strong defensive start
West Virginia’s defense set the tone early, forcing Iowa State to start its first two drives inside its own 10-yard line.
The Mountaineers forced punts on both possessions, including a third-down stop on the opening drive.
West Virginia’s first offensive possession moved into Cyclone territory before penalties and a tackle for loss stalled the drive at midfield.
The special teams unit provided another spark on the next Iowa State possession, as freshman safety Matt Sieg returned a punt 22 yards to give West Virginia the ball in Cyclone territory.
After two plays put the Mountaineers behind the chains, redshirt sophomore quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. delivered on third-and-12, connecting with redshirt junior wide receiver and Parkersburg native Cyrus Traugh for a 33-yard touchdown.
The three-play, 31-yard drive gave West Virginia a 7-0 lead with 6:53 remaining in the first quarter.
Cyclones answer
Iowa State responded with a long drive into Mountaineer territory. Jacorey Thomas stopped redshirt senior wide receiver Omari Hayes after a short completion, while Kamari Wilson broke up a pass intended for Hayes.
A personal foul on K.J. Henson extended the drive before senior quarterback Jaylen Raynor found redshirt sophomore wide receiver Dominic Overby for a 21-yard completion to move the Cyclones to the WVU 10-yard line.
Raynor then found Hayes for a 20-yard touchdown, tying the game at 7-7.
West Virginia was unable to respond on its next possession, and Iowa State took its first lead early in the second quarter.
The Cyclones used a trick play, with redshirt sophomore running back Aiden Flora connecting with redshirt senior wide receiver Cody Jackson for a 46-yard touchdown. Jackson caught the pass at the WVU 30-yard line and took it the rest of the way into the end zone.
Kyle Konrardy’s extra point gave Iowa State a 14-7 lead with 11:04 remaining in the first half.
Hawkins, WVU answer back
West Virginia answered with a 26-yard completion from Hawkins to redshirt junior wide receiver Prince Strachan, but the drive stalled and the Mountaineers were forced to punt again.
The defense responded, stopping Iowa State on first and second down before recording its first sack of the game on third down and forcing another Cyclone punt with eight minutes remaining in the half.
Hawkins then provided a spark on the ensuing possession, breaking free for a big gain after what appeared to be a broken-up play.
Moving along
On the next play, Hawkins kept the ball on an RPO, broke out of two tackles and picked up another first down.
That helped set up a seven-play, 60-yard scoring drive that took just 2:03 off the clock.
Hawkins finished the drive himself, keeping the ball for an 8-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 14-14 with 6:12 remaining in the first half.
The Mountaineer defense forced another three-and-out, giving West Virginia the ball with 3:58 remaining before halftime. The Cyclones’ defense answered with a three-and-out of its own.
Junior defensive lineman Nate Gabriel then recorded West Virginia’s second sack of the game on first down, bringing the game to the two-minute warning with the score tied at 14-14.
Iowa State moved into Mountaineer territory with 58 seconds remaining, and Raynor’s pass was dropped and fell incomplete.
Raynor then found Overby for another big gain before taking the ball into the end zone himself, but the touchdown was called back because of a holding penalty.
Flora then found the end zone through the air for his second passing touchdown of the game, giving Iowa State a 21-14 lead just before halftime.
West Virginia could not get anything going to start the second half and was forced into another three-and-out.
Flora then broke loose for a 20-yard gain before finding the end zone on a 24-yard touchdown run up the middle, extending Iowa State’s lead to 28-14.
On West Virginia’s second possession of the half, Hawkins found a first down on third-and-long with a 26-yard gain. The drive ended when the Cyclones recorded a strip sack and recovered the ball in Mountaineer territory.
Iowa State moved the ball into plus territory before West Virginia finally got a much-needed turnover. Redshirt sophomore linebacker Isaiah Patterson intercepted Raynor to give the Mountaineers possession.
On fourth-and-1, senior running back Cam Cook broke loose for a 37-yard gain, putting West Virginia in position to answer.
Hawkins keeps rolling
Hawkins found the end zone for the second time on the day, scoring on a 7-yard rushing touchdown to cap a seven-play, 67-yard drive.
The drive took 2:32 off the clock and pulled the Mountaineers within one touchdown.
West Virginia’s defense then forced Iowa State into a third-and-long situation and forced the Cyclones to punt.
After an incompletion intended for redshirt senior wide receiver DJ Epps, Hawkins scrambled for a gain of 32 yards.
Hawkins then connected with Epps for a 39-yard completion, moving the Mountaineers to the Iowa State 9-yard line.
Cook finished the four-play, 80-yard scoring drive with a 9-yard touchdown run, tying the game at 28-28. The drive took just 1:06 off the clock.
After a 6-yard pass on second-and-8, the third quarter came to an end with the game still tied.
Cody Jackson was found wide open by Raynor on the first drive of the fourth quarter, moving Iowa State into the red zone. A false-start penalty pushed the Cyclones back on the next play, and the Mountaineer defense held from there.
Iowa State settled for a field goal, taking a 31-28 lead with 10:45 remaining.
Cook puts WVU back in front
On the Mountaineers’ next drive, Hawkins connected with senior wide receiver Jaden Bray on a jump ball for a 34-yard gain.
After a 4-yard run by Cook, Hawkins went back to the air and drew a holding penalty on Iowa State cornerback Seth Johnson.
Cook put West Virginia back in front with an 8-yard rushing touchdown, capping a seven-play, 75-yard scoring drive.
The drive took 3:11 off the clock and gave the Mountaineers a 35-31 lead.
Cyclones, Mountaineers trade explosive plays
Iowa State answered with a three-play, 75-yard scoring drive that took just 1:26 off the clock.
Flora finished the drive with a 63-yard touchdown run, and Konrardy’s extra point put the Cyclones back in front, 38-35.
Cook picked up where he left off on the previous drive, breaking off a big gain to move West Virginia into Cyclone territory on the opening play.
Hawkins then connected with Epps for a 47-yard touchdown, with Epps catching the pass at the Iowa State 23-yard line and taking it the rest of the way into the end zone. The touchdown put West Virginia back in front, 42-38, with 5:04 remaining.
Iowa State answered with a 25-yard completion from Raynor to Jackson, moving the Cyclones into West Virginia territory.
Flora followed with a 6-yard run up the middle, moving Iowa State to the WVU 43-yard line.
Raynor then found Jackson again, this time for a 15-yard completion that moved the Cyclones to the WVU 28-yard line and gave Iowa State another first down with 3:31 remaining.
Flora followed with a 17-yard run up the middle, and a pass interference penalty on Geimere Latimer moved the Cyclones inside the 5-yard line.
A tackle for loss pushed Iowa State back before the two-minute warning.
The Cyclones finished the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run from Flora, capping a six-play, 74-yard drive that took 3:02 off the clock.
The touchdown put Iowa State back in front, 45-42, with the Mountaineers needing one final answer.
One final chance
After an interception was overturned, Hawkins found Epps on a short pass with 52 seconds remaining. Epps caught the ball and advanced before fumbling.
Iowa State’s Beni Ngoyi forced and recovered the fumble, returning it 45 yards to the Iowa State 45-yard line with 40 seconds remaining.
The Cyclones needed only three plays to put the game away.
Flora picked up 11 yards on the first play, moving Iowa State into West Virginia territory. Raynor then took a knee, allowing Iowa State to run out the clock and secure the 45-42 victory.
Hawkins, Cook lead WVU offense
Hawkins finished with 149 rushing yards and two touchdowns while adding 168 yards and two more scores through the air.
Cook matched Hawkins with 142 rushing yards and two touchdowns, giving West Virginia 291 rushing yards as a team.
Flora finished with 212 rushing yards and three touchdowns, while Jackson caught six passes for 160 yards and a touchdown.
Iowa State finished with 577 total yards compared to West Virginia’s 459 and controlled the ball for 37:34 compared to 21:46 for the Mountaineers.
West Virginia also committed two turnovers, including the late fumble that gave Iowa State the opportunity to close out the game.
