Nov 23, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; The Utah Utes lines up against the Iowa State Cyclones offense during the third quarter at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images
Randy Peterson
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November 24, 2024
Roll back to about this time in 2020. To when Iowa State was playing for the right to advance to its first Big 12 Conference championship football game.
Go back to a narrative that was as disturbing, as it was disrespectful.
COVID is the only reason Iowa State is playing in the championship game.
Bull!
Yes, Iowa State had a far better battle plan than even a White House resident and his advisors came up with, to battle the worldwide pandemic. Yes, strict protocol worked far better in Ames than it did at many opposing schools. While Matt Campbell’s team was mostly healthy throughout the shortened season, others either didn’t have the same plan, or chose not to follow it.
“Some really tough times,” Kansas State coach Chris Klieman told reporters at the 2021 Big 12 media days. “And some of those tough times weren't even on the field, but seeing kids get pulled off of the field, seeing kids get tapped on the shoulder and be out, and then four other buddies say, "I had dinner with that guy last night, I'll probably be next," to seeing guys get on the bus to go to the airport and get taken off the bus and be say, "Sorry, you didn't pass the last test."
That wasn’t just Kansas State. It was a lot of schools throughout the country.
Advantage Iowa State, some clamored, to which I thought back to all the reffing decisions (against Kansas State, Texas and Oklahoma State come to mind) that went anti-the-Cyclones, then I said “about (freakin) time.”
Forward to the upcoming Saturday night. Iowa State hosts Kansas State in what’s become The Iowa State Time Slot. Cyclones win, and it’s likely on to JerryWorld for the conference championship game.
And to the COVID storyliners?
Stick it wherever jealous doubters stick things.
Iowa State’s drive toward what can be its second Big 12 championship game has been about will, character, determination, grit, overcoming adversity, extra tough spring practices, and a whole lot of young adults (especially on defense) playing way beyond their age.
During Saturday’s 31-28 victory at Utah, they all came to fruition in the program’s first football game in Salt Lake City.
Iowa State overcame the adversity of Rocco Becht throwing a pick-six, Utah recovering a blocked punt in the end zone, and the Cyclones trailing 28-24 with 5:51 left in the game.
"We didn't flinch. We didn't waver,” coach Matt Campbell told reporters after the game.
His guys haven’t flinched all season – even while losing consecutive games against Texas Tech and Kansas. They overcame. They found a way.
Saturday, that was Jayden Higgens becoming the seventh receiver in school history to catch passes for 1,000 yards in a season. It was Malik Verdon, who despite sporting more duct tape (and a cast) than a mummy, had 12 tackles and his first career sack.
Saturday, that was Carson Hansen, turning in a brilliant play call from offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser into a halfback third-and-one pass completion to tight end Gabe Burkle – that set up Hansen’s next-play touchdown rush that turned deficit to lead with 1:31 left to play.
"We had that in our back pocket a little bit and why not?" Campbell said. "Put it on the line, and let's see what happens, and we did.
“At some point, you’ve got to take a little bit of risk.”
And at some point, the Cyclones will prove that 2020 wasn’t a COVID-related fluke.
**
PASS THE TYLENOL
More than half the 16 teams can still reach the Big 12 championship game, the conference figures. Let’s cut that down to the most likely four – Iowa State, Arizona State, BYU and Colorado. Why four: They’re tied for first at 6-2, heading into the final regular-season weekend. The Big 12 says that:
If Iowa State (6-2) beats Kansas State (5-3), and
Arizona State (6-2) wins at Arizona (2-6), and
BYU (6-2) wins at home against Houston (3-5), and
Colorado (6-2) wins in Boulder against Oklahoma State (0-8), then . . .
Iowa State faces Arizona State in the championship game.
That’s the cleanest, easiest, and most likely scenario, given the complicated tiebreaker formula.
Here’s the conference’s copy-and-paste press release from Sunday afternoon, regarding the Big 12 chaos:
Bottom line?
Iowa State wins, and it’s in.
Probably.