It's been 20 years since an Iowa State football player did this
Caden Matson found the end zone 49 times his senior season at Humboldt High School, helping the Wildcats reach the Class 3A state semifinals.
This past Saturday, he earned his first college touchdown with Iowa State, helping the Cyclone secure a 5-0 start with a convincing 43-21 victory over Baylor inside a booming Jack Trice Stadium.
Matson, a redshirt sophomore defensive back who has carved out a role on special teams for ISU head coach Matt Campbell’s team, scooped up a blocked punt and darted to the end zone to give the Cyclones a first half lead.
“I blacked out a little bit,” Matson admitted during a post-game interview following the contest. “I remember thinking I’ve got to cross the goal line, and once I did, I remember pointing to the crowd.”
The special teams TD via blocked punt was the first in 20 years for Iowa State, which heads to West Virginia this coming Saturday for another key Big 12 Conference showdown.
Matson was a two-time all-state selection at Humboldt, earning IPSWA first team honors in Class 3A as a senior. He produced 49 touchdowns as a senior, 33 passing and 16 rushing as the team's starting quarterback. He completed 161-of-233 passes for 2,611 yards, while rushing for 1,636 yards. As a junior, threw for 1,515 yards and 14 touchdowns, and rushed for 1,068 yards and 18 touchdowns.
On defense, Matson tallied 59 tackles, two fumble recoveries and two interceptions. He also lettered with the school's basketball team.
At Iowa State, Matson is majoring in agricultural business.
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