Campbell touts ISU’s grace as late FG sinks Iowa

• Adam Rittenberg, ESPN

  • Senior Citizen WriterSep 7, 2024, 09:30 PM ET Close College football press reporter.
  • Joined ESPN.com in 2008.
  • Graduate of Northwestern University.IOWA CITY, Iowa–

Matt Campbell was seething.The Iowa State coach paced the sideline

at Kinnick Stadium in the third quarter Saturday, incensed by an unique groups blunder in a game that had been filled with them for his group. Campbell lit into an assistant. He dropped his play sheet and selected it up, before resuming the screaming.”Our kids’grace was probably much better than their head coach’s,”Campbell later on admitted.Campbell ended up being so wound up due to the fact that he felt the Cyclones when again were “teetering on the edge”of being out of the game against No. 21 Iowa, a chief rival and a group that had actually often drawn out the worst in Iowa State during Campbell’s successful tenure.But the Cyclones recovered, removing deficits of 13 and 12 points and rallying to win 20-19 following Kyle Konrardy’s 54-yard basket with 6 seconds to play. The triumph was Iowa State’s second straight at Iowa as it improved to 2-6 in the Cy-Hawk series under Campbell.” The groups that have elite success in our sport, it still takes psychological toughness, I do not care if it’s Georgia or Ohio State or if it’s Iowa State,”Campbell stated.” That’s the very best I have actually seen at Iowa State in my time here, having the capability to respond in a football game in an environment like this. I’ve never seen it. “Iowa State completed the very first half with 101 yards, zero third-down conversions, five charges– mostly of the pre-snap variety– one turnover and no points. The Cyclones started two drives inside their own 6-yard line, which prevented them from even introducing their offensive game plan.But Iowa couldn’t completely capitalize, twice going for field goals inside the ISU 6-yard line. When Cyclones cornerback Darien Porter intercepted a cross-field throw from Iowa’s Cade McNamara, a switch flipped.Editor’s

Picks 1 Related”My freshman year, I utilized to protect him all the time, and he was difficult to protect at receiver,”

cornerback Myles Purchase stated. “To see him be able to do this in his senior year, his last year, to be able to carry out like this is something unique. “Iowa State went 75 lawns in 9 plays, scoring on a 3-yard pass from Rocco Becht to Jayden Higgins versus an Iowa defense that had not allowed a point through its first six-plus quarters. Then, after Iowa responded with a goal, Becht discovered Jaylin Noel for a 75-yard score. “We wanted to be more aggressive in that second half, since we thought we were pushing the ball in the first, just couldn’t overcome those little bulges, the pre-snap operations, “Becht stated.”We could not actually surpass the 50-yard line, so we had to pivot a little bit.”The Cyclones maintained an assertive technique on the game’s definitive belongings, down 19-17 with no timeouts and the ball at

their 22-yard line. Becht discovered Noel streaking up the sideline for 30 lawns, a late-game play that ISU had actually not practiced all week however kept stored for the right moment.Konrardy had actually not tried a field goal in a game before Saturday, while wowing teammates and coaches throughout practice with a leg that can connect from more than 60 backyards. He missed out on a 41-yard effort before halftime, however Campbell wasn’t stressed, grateful to only be down 13 and with complete faith in Konrardy.The redshirt freshman hit quickly from 46 lawns early in the 4th quarter and was hired again with nine seconds to play. As he left, Becht reminded him:” This is similar to practice.

“”Not think,” Konrardy stated of his pre-kick routine.”That’s it. Simply head out there, not believe and do what you do.”Iowa State recorded its biggest return since 2020, when it routed Baylor by 14 points, and its biggest on

the roadway since 2017, when it dug out of a 14-point hole to stun No. 3 Oklahoma. The rally also marked ISU’s biggest against Iowa since 2002, when the Cyclones came from 17 points down to beat a Hawkeye team that went 11-2 and finished No. 8 nationally.”We talk in our own program, it’s a law of progression, nothing ever simply goes straight to success,”Campbell stated.”You’re going to have failures, you’re going to have blips, but the great groups, guy, the special ones, they can make those down moments blips and get right back on

the road to success. For our kids to be able to show that, in this environment, versus this football team, it’s actually impressive.”Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz returned Saturday from a one-game suspension originating from a recruiting offense, getting in the field in warmups as 50 Cent’s “Lots of Men” played in the stadium. Ferentz said he remained dedicated to McNamara, who completed just 13 of 29 passes for 99 yards and had just 19

passing lawns after halftime.”It’s a huge game for everybody in the state, certainly no bigger than the players on both sides and the coaches,” Ferentz stated. “After a loss like this, it’s tough. There’s not much you can state to make anybody feel any much better.”The Cyclones had experienced a lot of tensions in the series under Campbell, however Saturday’s win might move them towards larger objectives.”Whenever we would come down in this game, we knew in our hearts that we would be able to return,”Purchase stated.” None people came down. That’s a huge growth from what we have actually had in the past.”