Iowa State Cyclones

Live updates, score: Iowa State leads Utah at the half, 17-13

Check out the latest updates as the Iowa State football team looks to keep the momentum going at Utah

Dana Becker

The Iowa State football team meets Utah Saturday night live on FOX.
The Iowa State football team meets Utah Saturday night live on FOX. / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Iowa State football team has arrived in Salt Lake City, Utah for a key Big 12 Conference matchup with the Utes. 

Coming off a win at home over Cincinnati, the Cyclones (8-2, 5-2) remain in contention for a spot in the league title game. To get there, though, there can be no slip ups. The Utes have dropped six in a row and are struggling, but it is Senior Day, and anything can happen.

Check out our live updates with in-game analysis and big-play highlights from Iowa State at Utah: 

(Refresh for the latest updates)

Third Quarter Live Updates

Turnover Iowa State! A miscue by Wilson results in the first turnover of the game for Utah, as Jack Sadowsky V recovers, giving the Cyclones the ball on the 23.

Missed opportunity for ISU: The Cyclones were unable to score on a strong drive, as the Utah defense forced a long field goal that missed. Iowa State leads 17-13 with just under nine to play in the third quarter. 

Acrobatic catch by Higgins! Jayden Higgins is having himself a game, giving the Cyclones a first down on their first drive of the second half with a catch along the sidelines. 

Halftime Stats

Iowa State has completely dominated the first 30 minutes but have just a four-point lead on the scoreboard. The Cyclones hold a 243-76 advantage in total yards and have 14 first downs to just two for the Utes, who are 0-for-4 on third-down attempts. 

Rocco Becht has completed 9 of 19 for 152 yards with a touchdown, adding to his school record for passing TDs in consecutive games. Jayden Higgins, who caught the TD, has three receptions for 81 yards while Carson Hansen has 42 yards rushing and a score. 

For Utah, Isaac Wilson has completed all five of his passes for 50 yards, as Daidren Zipperer has two receptions for 51 yards. The Utes have a pick-6 and recovered a muffed punt to set them up for a field goal.

Second Quarter Live Updates

End of second quarter: Iowa State 17, Utah 13

Iowa State field goal! The Cyclones add to their lead as Kyle Konrardy knocks through a 35-yard field goal with just 29 seconds left in the half. Iowa State leads Utah 17-13 after a seven-play, 58-yard drive results in three points. 

Becht-to-Higgins again! Rocco finds a streaking Higgins for 39 yards on the first play of the drive, giving Iowa State the ball at the Utah 36 with three-plus to go before half. Cyclones have 13 first downs already to just two for the Utes.

Utah field goal: Again, the Iowa State defense keeps points off the board, holding Utah to a 47-yard field goal by Cole Becker after a muffed punt. Iowa State leads 14-13 with 3:32 to play before half. Cyclones need to stop giving the Utes short fields to work with if they want to get out of Salt Lake City with a win.

ISU Touchdown! Becht and the Cyclones answer the pick-6, as Carson Hansen goes in from eight yards out for a hard-fought TD, giving Iowa State a 14-10 lead with just over eight to go. Becht hit Higgins for 35 yards on third-and-13, with a roughing the passer flag giving Iowa State the ball at the Utah 16. Becht found Carson Brown for 12 on third-and-10 earlier in the drive. Becht is already 8-for-17 for 113 yards passing. 

Pick-6 Utah: Just as everything seems to be going right for Iowa State, Becht makes a bad decision. A tipped ball winds up in the hands of Lander Barton, who goes 87 yards for a pick-6 to give Utah a 10-7 lead with 11:53 left. The Utes created a wall for him to dart through Cyclone players and go all the way.

Cyclones coming! After a short Utah punt, Iowa State is nearly at midfield following back-to-back first-down plays. Becht hit Gabe Burkle for 15 and Jaylon Jackson broke free for 12 yards.

First Quarter Live Updates

End of first quarter: Iowa State 7, Utah 3

ISU touchdown! The Cyclones take advantage of a huge Utah mistake, converting on third-and-goal with a Jayden Higgins seven-yard touchdown from Rocco Becht with 3:52 left in the first as Iowa State leads 7-3. The drive had a little bit of everything. Becht had a key fourth-down completion to Carson Hansen for 24 yards and a holding on the Utes on a missed fial goal attempt gave ISU new life. After two runs moved it to the 7, Becht found Higgins on a slant for six. 

Flag gives ISU goal-to-goal! A missed field goal doesn't hurt, as Utah is called for holding and the Cyclones have it first-and-goal.

ISU converts fourth-down! Rocco Becht found Carson Hansen coming out of the backfield on fourth-and-2 from the 43 for 24 yards and the third first down of the drive. 

Utah field goal: On the first play from scrimmage, Isaac Wilson, the brother of former top draft pick and Utah standout Zack Wilson, found Daidren Zipperer down the middle for 46 yards. Iowa State’s defense stepped up, though, forcing a successful 34-yard field goal by Cole Becker to give the Utes a 3-0 lead with 9:52 to play in the first. Wilson’s pass was the only one of the drive, as they proceeded to run the ball five times after.

Utah wins the toss and elects to defer to the second half. Iowa State will start with the ball.

Pregame Updates

The Iowa State at Utah Big 12 football game will kick off at 6:30 p.m. CT from Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah. The game airs live on FOX and streams on fuboTV. The conditions call for highs in the lower 50s and tailing off throughout the game with an 86 percent chance of rain. Minimal winds out of the west/northwest should not give troubles to the passing or kicking game.

Things took on even more importance before kickoff after conference co-leaders BYU and Colorado both lost. The Cougars fell to Arizona State while the Buffaloes were stunned by Kansas. BYU, Colorado, Arizona State and Iowa State all have two conference losses.

With a win over Utah and Kansas State next week, regardless of what happens to the other teams, Iowa State will secure a spot in the Big 12 title game.

More Iowa State & Big 12 Analysis

* How to watch Iowa State at Utah, latest betting odds

* What Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham had to say about the Cyclones

* Where does Iowa State land in the latest SP+ rankings from ESPN?

* ISU head coach Matt Campbell praises Utah, defense

Published |Modified
Dana Becker
DANA BECKER

Dana Becker has been a sports writer in Iowa since 2000, writing for The Fort Dodge Messenger, Mason City Globe-Gazette, Cedar Rapids Gazette and others. Dana resides in north-central Iowa.

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