Iowa State ends Cy-Hawk series losing streak with 99-yard touchdown drive

IOWA CITY — Iowa State wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson drew the matchup he wanted and expected. One man to beat. One monumental catch to make.

His quarterback, Hunter Dekkers, set his feet, fired into the end zone and Hutchinson did the deed, clutching an 8-yard touchdown pass with 8:47 left that ultimately, if shakily held up as the Cyclones outlasted Iowa, 10-7, Saturday while snapping a six-game skid in the series at Kinnick Stadium.

“The did ‘cover zero’ like they normally do on a big play in the end zone,” Hutchinson said. “Hunter believed in me one more time. I’m just happy that I could make that play for him.”

Hutchinson — who notched a game-high 11 catches for 99 yards — made “the play,” that capped “the drive” that gave ISU its first Cy-Hawk series victory since 2014.

That drive — following an Iowa fumble forced by Cyclone senior linebacker O’Rien Vance at the goal line — not only spanned 99 yards. It consumed 11 minutes and 49 seconds of clock. ISU converted six third-down chances on the drive, including the Dekkers-to-Hutchinson touchdown that came on third-and-goal from the Iowa 8-yard line.

“Great growth from Hunter (Saturday),” ISU head coach Matt Campbell said of Dekkers, who completed 25 of 38 passes for 184 yards, the touchdown and two interceptions. “Again, we’ll find out when the bullets fly and you’re in front of the lights and the lights come on and it’s not pretty. Who are you when your back’s against the wall. I think we found out a little bit more about who we are and certainly who we’ve got the ability to grow into (Saturday).”

Tailback Jirehl Brock added 100 rushing yards for the Cyclones, who outgained the Hawkeyes, 313 yards to 150. Still, Iowa had a chance at the end after an ISU offside penalty and an unsportsmanlike conduct call, but Iowa kicker Aaron Blom’s potential game-tying field goal sailed wide left from 48 yards away as time expired.

“I mean, you’ve just got to keep playing,” said Dekkers, who is 2-0 as the Cyclones’ starting quarterback.

That meant playing through three turnovers — including a Brock fumble at the goal line — and two blocked punts, the first of which led to Iowa’s only points in the first quarter.

But ISU also forced three turnovers against a Hawkeye team that had built a 9-0 edge in turnover margin in the past five wins in the series. Ultimately that, along with the drive, helped the Cyclones finally prevail again. Barely. The Cy-Hawk trophy will reside in Ames for at least one season again for the first time in eight years. Because of the drive. Because of clutch plays. And because of a missed field goal that almost miraculously forced overtime.

“Not a pretty football game either which way, yet at the end of the day, that’s football,” Campbell said. “It’s a game of imperfection and I give our kids a lot of credit. Obviously a hard place to play, a very good football program and football tram, and for our kids (to have) the character and resiliency to keep playing, those are things that are great traits that hopefully will continue to serve us well as we continue to grow.”

As for the three turnovers forced, lots of players contributed to that breakthrough. Linebacker Gerry Vaughn forced a fumble defensive end Will McDonald collected in the first half and cornerback T.J. Tampa tipped a pass that turned into a first-half interception for linebacker Colby Reeder. Add in the Vance-forced fumble at the goal line reserve linebacker Kendall Jackson recovered that preceded “the drive” and you have the makings of a satisfying, if imperfect victory.

A lot of good, a lot of bad, one huge rivalry game win.

“It’s a special rivalry and yet it’s still the second game of the season,” Campbell said. “From our end, if we let this shape us, rather than define us, then we can use what we learned today and grow from it.”

Comments: robgray18@icloud.com