Iowa State QB Rocco Becht ‘hurt’ but unbowed after loss at Cincinnati

CINCINNATI — Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht spoke bluntly and succinctly.

Yes, he had undergone concussion protocol after absorbing a helmet-to-helmet hit flagged for targeting during the No. 14 Cyclones’ 38-30 loss to Cincinnati.

And yes, even though he only missed two plays, the extra medical attention had been warranted.

“I felt like (crap),” said ISU’s third-year starting quarterback, who threw for 314 yards and touchdowns to Brett Eskildsen and Chase Sowell. “It does hurt, but that’s football. That’s the game. I just want to be out there with my team and give us the best possible scenario, best possible situation.”

So while Becht didn’t lead the Cyclones (5-1, 2-1 Big 12) to a fourth-quarter comeback win for the eighth time in his career, he did produce some big hits of his own by throwing two touchdown passes and rushing for another score. He also set single-game career-highs for completions (30) and attempts while becoming the third quarterback in program history to eclipse the 8,000-yard passing mark in a career.

“I think we’ve said this multiple times: you’ll play any game, anytime, anywhere, with that quarterback,” said ISU head coach Matt Campbell, whose team fell out of a first-place tie in the conference standings. “What Rocco’s about, what he stands for, you know, great toughness, character, all those things. Those things still matter in our sport.”

So, of course, do results, and the Cyclones made too many mistakes in all three phases of the game to achieve a positive one against the resurgent Bearcats (4-1, 2-1).

ISU was whistled for eight penalties — five above their previous per-game average. Defenders were knocked out of their gaps, which allowed Cincinnati to average a troubling 10 yards per carry while building leads of 17-0 and 31-7 in the first half. And a special teams mistake late in the third quarter led to a Bearcats punt that was downed at the ISU one-yard line.

“The fact of the matter of it is I just don’t think we were ready,” Campbell said. “That’s coaching. That’s on the head football coach, and we’ve gotta be better. So I’m disappointed, obviously, in the way we started. I’m really proud of the way we finished the football game.”

Becht led the Cyclones to a touchdown to make the score 38-30 with 1:56 left, but ISU retained just one timeout, and Cincinnati ran all but 11 seconds off the clock. The Cyclones’ lateral-filled last-gasp final play ended with tight end Ben Brahmer going out of bounds near midfield as time expired. Bearcats fans stormed the field and ISU went into regroup mode. It’s familiar territory — even after compiling 11 wins last season for the first time in program history. The Cyclones started 2024 with seven straight triumphs, then lost two in a row before reviving and playing its way into the Big 12 title game.

“It’s the same thing,” Becht said. “I think we’re, what, 5-1 now? Same thing last year. We were 7-2.”

Becht also spoke bluntly and succinctly while describing how his team should respond this time.

“Win the rest,” he said.

Injury Update

Campbell confirmed that tailback Carson Hansen suffered a concussion on Saturday and that’s why he wasn’t on the field in the second half.

“Hopefully we’ll know a lot more about that as we keep moving ourselves forward,” he said.

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