Iowa State will need every trick up its sleeve to stay alive for Big 12 title

AMES — Carson Hansen’s mouthpiece almost hid his ear-to-ear grin.

Almost.

But the TV broadcast revealed the Iowa State sophomore tailback’s visible delight anyway.

Hansen had just completed a trick-play pass to former Cedar Rapids Prairie star Gabe Burkle in the late stages of the No. 17 Cyclones’ 31-28 win over Utah last Saturday in Salt Lake City — and the play call itself drew smiles from ISU’s fans.

Call it gutsy, too risky or a worthwhile gamble, but either way, the Cyclones’ first-year offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser’s fingerprints were all over it. And Hanson surged into the end zone on the following play from 3 yards out, helping ISU stave off an upset and remain very much alive in the Big 12 title race entering Saturday’s 6:30 p.m. (Fox) matchup with Kansas State at Jack Trice Stadium.

“We were working through (that play) all week, and just a great opportunity to do it,” Hansen said of his 26-yard pass to Burkle that set up his 11th touchdown run of the season. “(I appreciate) the trust from the coaches to be able to show that thing, and I really appreciate the O-line for always having my back and keeping me protected.”

Mouser likely will need to pull more tricks from his sleeve on Saturday against the Wildcats (8-3, 5-3), who relish a chance to knock the Cyclones (9-2, 6-2) out of Big 12 championship game contention. Kansas State is one of several teams in the league that retain faint hopes of playing for a conference title, as well, so expect the Wildcats’ best shot on a frigid night at Jack Trice Stadium.

“This sport’s hard,” said ISU head coach Matt Campbell, whose team has won three of the past four meetings with Kansas State after losing 11 of 12 games in the long-running series. “You’ve got to win in the moment, and you’ve got to be willing to sacrifice everything for these opportunities.”

Hansen did just that in a crucial moment last Saturday, hitting his tight end in stride to help avoid a bitter upset.

“I taught him everything he knows,” Cyclone quarterback Rocco Becht said, chuckling. “No, I’m joking. When the moment came, he was able to shine and do his job and execute it. We worked on it all week and, honestly, it wasn’t the prettiest all week, but tonight it was. So continuing to thrive in our detail and our precision, ultimately helped us win this game.”

So Hansen’s now 1-for-1 in his young career for 26 yards. His passer rating is set at a heady 318.4 according to ESPN, but his most important work will come in the running game. Hansen leads ISU with 560 rushing yards this season, and he’s the only back to avenge 5.0 yards per carry. Home-run hitting fellow sophomore Abu Sama is close behind at 4.8 yards per tote, but Hansen has established himself as a trusted lead back, and that’s important for a Cyclone team that largely controls its own destiny in terms of its conference title chances.

“That’s what you want in November — meaningful games and everything to play for,” Becht said. “So this is gonna be our best week of practice. It needs to be."

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