Sep 6, 2025; Ames, Iowa, USA; Iowa State Cyclones tight end Gabe Burkle (84) makes a catch against the Iowa Hawkeyes during the second half at Jack Trice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images
AMES — Every time Iowa State’s defense bent, it snapped back into place.
The Cyclones gave up two lengthy scoring drives to Iowa on Saturday — with each spanning an energy-sapping 16 plays — but slammed the door shut to preserve a 16-13 Cy-Hawk series triumph at a sold-out Jack Trice Stadium.
“Shoot, if y’all see the way we practice it ain’t really nothin,’” said ISU senior cornerback Jeremiah Cooper, whose 24-yard interception return set up his team’s lone touchdown. “You’ve gotta just keep calm and keep your composure in those types of moments, and we’ve got a lot of veterans on defense that know that type of felling and know that we’ve gotta do that.”
Outside of those two drives, the Cyclones’ defense bottled up a Hawkeye offense that averaged just 3.5 yards per carry and 3.4 yards per play. Iowa did score on one other drive — with kicker Drew Stevens’ first of two field goals — but that came after a muffed punt set it up at the ISU 33-yard line in the second quarter.
“The reality of our poise in the moment, we knew this is an emotional game, (and) so many unexpected things are gonna happen,” said ISU head coach Matt Campbell, who watched his kicker, Kyle Konrardy, win the Cy-Hawk game with a 54-yard field goal for the second straight season. “That’s football in general. Sixty minutes of it.”
And lots of different Cyclone defenders contributed to Saturday’s stingy performance.
Safety Marcus Neal notched a team-best and career-high nine tackles, including two for loss. He also had a sack — ISU’s only quarterback takedown until defensive end Tamatoa McDonough dropped Iowa quarterback Mark Gronowski twice to help cement the win.
“McDonough’s been coming every week,” Campbell said.
So has nose guard Domonique Orange, who notched a career-high six tackles in his 15th start. The 6-4, 325-pound senior nicknamed “Big Citrus” also routinely faced double teams, as usual, while recording his all-time single-game high in tackles.
“I think (he) showed up big throughout the entire football game,” Campbell said. “Again, another guy who’s worked so hard for these moments to be his best, and we’ll need that to continue forward.”
The Cyclones gave up the fewest points against Iowa in a home game since 2007 — when kicker Bret Culbertson’s five field goals led to a 15-13 victory.
“I think there’s great mental toughness right now with our football team and that part I really appreciate,” said Campbell, whose team has won eight of its past nine home games. “You had to be mentally tough there in the second half.”
RICOCHET ROCCO
ISU quarterback Rocco Becht said his unconventional 17-yard pass to tight end Gabe Burkle that helped set up Konrardy’s winning kick tracked like a typical “oh, no” turned “oh, yes” moment.
It came on third down and four at the Cyclones’ 27 — and an Iowa defender deflected the pass off intended receiver Xavier Townsend before Burkle found himself in the “right place at the right time.”
“I was a little bit shocked when it first happened, like, my mouth opened, and then I giggled a little bit after,” Becht said. “That was awesome to see Gabe stayed within the play (and made) a really big play.”
Burkle’s other catch on that possession also came on a successful third-down conversion.
“It’s definitely huge being a part of this — first time in (14) years we’ve won (the Cy-Hawk game) at home,” Burkle said. “So doing it for (Campbell) and for our fans, as well, it’s something that they deserve and I’m just grateful we were able to provide that for them today.”
