Iowa State Cyclones

Game recap, highlights: Iowa State can't overcome turnovers, falls to Arizona State

Three turnovers, Cam Skattebo too much for Iowa State as Arizona State wins Big 12 title

Dana Becker

Sam Leavitt led Arizona State past Iowa State and to the Big 12 Conference title Saturday.
Sam Leavitt led Arizona State past Iowa State and to the Big 12 Conference title Saturday. / Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

The Iowa State football team had no answer for Cam Skattebo and Arizona State on Saturday, falling in the Big 12 Conference championship game, 45-19.

Skattebo rushed for 170 yards and accounted for three touchdowns, while the Sun Devil defense forced three turnovers. Arizona State (11-2) is in the Big 12 for the first time after leaving the Pac-12, winning the first outright league title since 1996 for the school.

Arizona State was just 3-9 last year under Kenny Dillingham, a former Sun Devil himself. 

Iowa State (10-3) will now wait to see where they will go for the postseason.

Check out our game recap with in-game analysis and big-play highlights from Iowa State vs. Arizona State in the Big 12 Conference championship game:

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Final Stats, Analysis

All the momentum Arizona State gained at the end of the first half carried over into the second half, as Cam Skattebo and the Sun Devil defense stepped up. Skattebo rushed 16 times for 170 yards and two touchdowns, catching two passes for 38 yards and another score.

In the third, Sam Leavitt found Xavier Guillory on two touchdown passes within 71 seconds of one another, with Skattebo making it three passing TDs from Leavitt in the third with a 33-yard catch-and-run. 

Leavitt finished 12 of 17 passing for 219 yards and the three scores, adding 33 yards and a rushing touchdown. Melquan Stovall caught four passes for 91 and Guillory had his two with both going for scores.

Rocco Becht threw for 214 yards and two touchdowns, completing 21 of 35 on the day with an interception. Carson Hansen had 10 carries for 52 yards while Abu Sama III ran for 27 yards but had two costly turnovers. Jayden Higgins caught seven passes for 115 while Jaylin Noel had five for 64 with a score. Hansen caught the other touchdown from Becht.

Iowa State’s turnovers cost them a chance in this one, but the defense not being able to contain Skattebo was more critical. Arizona State going for the gusto several times also gave them an advantage and led to some critical conversions and points.

Fourth Quarter Live Updates

End of fourth quarter: Arizona State 45, Iowa State 19

Touchdown Iowa State! Becht comes back and hits Jaylin Noel with a 25-yard touchdown, returning from the serious hit. Iowa State trails 45-19 with just over seven to go. The Cyclones aren’t going to win this one, but they have some momentum going into the bowl game.

Iowa State gets a stop: Arizona State has brought in the backups, including quarterback Jeff Sims and running back DeCarlos Brooks. Rocco Becht has returned to the field following the nasty hit. 

Field goal Iowa State! Needing some kind of momentum, Iowa State opts for a field goal, making it 45-13 with just over 12 minutes to go. Rocco Becht is in the locker room being evaluated for a concussion, as the offense is led by Connor Moberly.

Targeting: On fourth-down, Rocco Becht is completely destroyed by Shamari Simmons, who launches into the ISU quarterback. Simmons is called for targeting and ejected, with Iowa State receiving a first down and the ball back. Former Southeast Polk star Connor Moberly is in to lead the offense.

Third Quarter Live Updates

End of third quarter: Arizona State 45, Iowa State 10

Arizona State touchdown: Cam Skattebo is having himself a day, and the Sun Devils are on their way to the College Football Playoff. On third-down, Sam Leavitt with a little pass to Skattebo who does the rest, splitting the defense before going in untouched for a 33-yard touchdown. Arizona State leads 45-10 with 2:57 to go in the third. Skattebo has 170 yards rushing and 38 yards receiving with three touchdowns.

Turnover, again: Just as Iowa State is moving the ball, Sama fumbles for the second time, as an Arizona State defender comes in and hits the ball loose. We move under five minutes to go in the third quarter and Arizona State has the ball on the ISU side of the field.

Arizona State touchdown: On third-and-5, Leavitt hits Guillory again, this time as he spins back and finds the ball right in his hands for a touchdown. Arizona State takes a 38-10 lead with 6:27 to go in the third quarter. The Sun Devils have scored 14 off two ISU turnovers. Guillory has two receptions with both going for touchdowns.

Turnover Iowa State: Becht, trying to make a play in the passing game, has the ball bounced off the helmet of a lineman and picked off by Keith Abney II. That’s the second turnover in two possessions for the Cyclones.

Arizona State touchdown: Following the fumble, Arizona State converts, as Leavitt finds Xavier Guilllory on an 8-yard touchdown, as the Sun Devils take a commanding 31-10 lead with just over seven to go in the third quarter. Leavitt had big plays on the drive, converting a fourth-down run and a third-down pass. 

Leavitt again kills ISU: Using his legs after a play that resulted in a loss, Leavitt takes off and records the first down on fourth-and-6 to keep the drive alive for the Sun Devils.

Fumble Iowa State: Abu Sama has the ball knocked loose by the helmet of an Arizona State defender, recording the 20th takeaway of the year for the defense. The Sun Devils have the ball and a two-touchdown lead, and all the momentum.

Rocco comes up clutch! On third-and-long, Becht takes off, escaping the pocket as Arizona State defenders were coming down hard on him. The scramble results in a first down to start the third quarter.

Halftime stats, analysis

In terms of the yardage, it is hard to say the defenses are doing anything. But they are, especially late in the first half to force both a missed field goal and a punt. Cam Skattebo is hard to bring down, and Iowa State is finding that out right now. Skattebo has rushed for 140 yards, with much of that coming after contact. 

Skattebo has two rushing touchdowns, with ASU quarterback Sam Leavitt adding one. The Sun Devils have also connected on some big plays, including a 60-plus yard pass on fourth-and-1 to set up the first score. Leavitt is 6 of 8 passing for 147, adding 28 yards on the ground.

Arizona State has 317 yards of total offense on just 23 successful plays from scrimmage. They have converted just one third-down and have been flagged four times.

Iowa State, meanwhile, has taken more of an old-school ball-control approach to the game. Using multiple tight ends and a fullback, the Cyclones have been methodical on their scoring drives. Becht is 12-for-19 passing for 108 yards and a TD to Carson Hansen, who leads the ground attack with 35 yards. 

As a team, Iowa State has 86 yards rushing on 17 carries with Jayden Higgins catching four passes for 58 yards. Jaylin Noel has been held to just one catch for 17.

The Cyclones have the advantage in terms of time of possession and first downs, but are being dominated everywhere else. They have 194 yards of total offense.

Second Quarter Live Updates

End of second quarter: Arizona State 24, Iowa State 10

Arizona State touchdown: Just before half, and following their first punt of the game, the Sun Devils give the rock to Skattebo and he delivers, punching it in from near the goalline to give them a 24-10 lead with 27 seconds left to play. A very gutwrenching score allowed after seeming to find a groove on defense for the Cyclones, who will get the ball to start the second half and will be facing a pretty much must-score situation.

Cam again: The Cyclones just cannot contain Skattebo, as he breaks free once more for 53 yards before a desperate attempt at a tackle brings him down. The Sun Devils are inside the ISU red zone with under a minute to play.

First ISU punt: After forcing the first punt of the game by Arizona State, the Cyclones are unable to move the ball, generating just four yards before their first punt of the afternoon. The Sun Devils will take over with just under two minutes to play and two timeouts from inside their own territory following a flag.

Orange crush!: Domonique Orange gets the first big defensive play of the day for the Cyclones, sacking Leavitt for an 8-yard loss on third-and-down from the ISU 29. The play before, Iowa State tackled Skattebo for no yards and we have our first punt of the day with under three to play before the half.

Big plays hurting Iowa State: So far, it is Arizona State getting the big plays on offense, this time a 43-yard pitch-and-catch from Leavitt to Malik McClain. Even without star receiver Jordyn Tyson, the Sun Devils are getting it done in the passing game. 

Missed field goal: The drive stalls out on a questionable no pass interference call on third-and-8, and Kyle Konrardy is unable to connect from 46 yards out. Iowa State did give its defense some time to rest on the extended drive, but they trail 17-10 with just over five to go before half.

What a catch! Jayden Higgins hauls in a perfectly placed throw just over the shoulder from Rocco Becht for 17 yards and a first down. Higgins just had to put his hands out and keep his feet in for the catch. 

Old-school football: Iowa State is lining up with two tight ends and a fullback, which to some watching, might seem so weird. This is what football used to be like before the implement of uptempo and passing it all over the field. And for the Cyclones, it is working, as they are moving the ball down the field.

Five possessions, five scores: So far, defense has been optional in the Big 12 title game, at least between the 20s. We have had five possessions so far in the game and five scores, with three touchdowns and two field goals so far. 

Arizona State touchdown: We have another score, as Skattebo easily takes it in from three yards out after a nice 14-yard run by Leavitt, putting Arizona State up 17-10 with 10:49 to go. The Sun Devils went 75 yards on five plays, with all but nine of that being on the ground. Skattebo with 50 yards on the drive as he is averaging over 12 per carry.

Skattebo unstoppable: Cam Skattebo takes the entire Iowa State defense down the field for 47 yards, showing off his power and speed on the same play. Arizona State deep inside ISU territory as we go under 12 in the quarter. He has 66 yards after contact and 82 already on the ground.

Field goal Iowa State! An incredible drive by the Cyclones results in a 36-yard field goal, as Kyle Konrardy ties it at 10-all with 13:51 left in the second. Much like the opening drive, the Arizona State defense has to feel like this was a win limiting the Cyclones to three. Following several big plays, a flag and a negative pass play ended the series. 

First Quarter Live Updates

End of first quarter: Arizona State 10, Iowa State 7

Marching down the field! Iowa State is getting receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel involved, as both have caught passes on this drive to move the ball inside the ASU 10 as the first quarter expires. Becht is 4-for-5 on this drive for 62 yards.

Oh, this is gonna be wild! On the first play from scrimmage for the Cyclones, Becht hits Jayden Higgins for 19 yards. It definitely feels like we have a classic Big 12 wild west shootout on our hands early in Dallas.

Arizona State touchdown: After the huge 63-yard pass play from Leavitt to Stovall on fourth-and-1 from the ASU 34, the Sun Devils take the lead back on a Leavitt 3-yard TD run, making it 10-7 with 2:46 to go. We have had three possessions and three scores in what many felt would be a defensive battle. Time to see if that side of the ball can adjust and figure out the offenses. 

Along with the big pass play, the drive was saved by Skattebo. Lined up as the QB, Skattebo tried to take off before getting pressured. Instead of a 17-yard loss, he was able to throw the ball away and avoid a penalty or a pick. The look on ASU head coach Kenny Dillingham's face after he threw the ball was definitely priceless.

Arizona State takes risk: The Sun Devils, on fourth-and-1, connect between Sam Leavitt and Melquan Stovall for 63 yards. Stovall got well behind the entire Cyclone defense, who were all expecting run as the ball was on the ASU 34. 

Complete drive: Iowa State’s first possession covered 75 yards over 11 plays, taking up five-plus minutes off the clock. The Cyclones had 33 yards passing and 24 yards rushing, taking advantage of several Arizona State flags. Aba Sama III ran for 12 yards, Rocco Becht had 33 yards passing and Carson Hansen caught three balls for 21 with the score.

Touchdown Iowa State! After another flag on Arizona State, Becht with a perfect play action to find Hansen all alone as he gets into the end zone on a 3-yard pass for a touchdown. Iowa State takes the 7-3 lead with 6:30 to go in the first quarter. Becht was 5-for-6 for 33 yards on the drive as Hansen caught three passes for 21 yards. Maybe a little bit of a taste of their own medicine for Arizona State, as they use star RB Skattebo out of the backfield as well.

Cyclones marching! Behind a solid mix of run and pass, along with a key personal foul, Iowa State is nearing the Arizona State goalline with the chance to take the lead or at least tie the game up. Rocco Becht has completed four of his first five passes while Aba Sama III, Carson Hansen and Becht all have positive runs.

Arizona State field goal: Following the big run on the first play by Cam Skattebo, the Iowa State defense - much like it has all season - buckles down, forcing a field goal attempt. Carston Kieffer gives Arizona State a 3-0 lead with a 32-yard field goal, but considering how the drive started, you have to give that a win for the Cyclones. The Sun Devils covered 60 yards on seven plays, including a 22-yard pass from Sam Leavitt to Melquan Stovall.

Big play Cam: Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo takes the first handoff of the game and breaks free for 28 yards. Skattebo has explosive speed mixed with the ability to run defenders over. 

Pregame Updates

Iowa State and Arizona State have arrived at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, and both ar ready for war. The Cyclones and Sun Devils have both defied preseason predictions, as Iowa State was picked in the middle of the pack while Arizona State was dead-last. 

During ESPN’s College Gameday program, former Alabama head coach Nick Saban explained how the game could be decided. Saban pointed out Iowa State’s defense has surrendered big plays all year, with it being noted that they have allowed more this season than the previous three combined. 

Saban also broke film down on how the Cyclones need to stack the box in order to contain Cam Skattebo, the All-American candidate running back for the Sun Devils. 

As for picks, Hollywood actor Timothee Chalamet was the guest picker and selected Arizona State to win the Big 12. Saban and Pat McAfee also picked the Sun Devils while Desmond Howard and Kirk Herbstreit went with Iowa State, noting Rocco Becht is the difference.

More Iowa State & Big 12 Analysis

* Latest betting odds, trends for Big 12 title game between Iowa State, Arizona State

* Arizona State with nothing but respect for Matt Campbell

* Keys to victory for Iowa State vs. Arizona State

* Bowl projections for the Big 12 Conference

* Iowa State climbs the latest Coaches Poll Top 25

* Rocco Becht credits 2023 loss with driving Iowa State

* How to watch Iowa State vs. Arizona State for Big 12 title

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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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