Field Level Media
Sep 26, 2020
Breece Hall rushed for 155 yards and three touchdowns and Iowa State held off TCU 37-34 in the Big 12 opener for both teams at Fort Worth, Texas, on Saturday.
Brock Purdy passed for 211 yards and a touchdown for the Cyclones (1-1), who led by nine at halftime.
Max Duggan racked up 241 passing yards and three touchdowns in relief for the Horned Frogs (0-1). Taye Barber caught five passes for 82 yards and a score.
Purdy made an ill-advised play early in the second half that allowed TCU to cut Iowa State's lead to 16-14. He threw the ball while being sacked and La'Kendrick Van Zandt snared the errant toss -- ruled a fumble -- and returned it 24 yards for a score.
The Cyclones got those points right back when Kene Nwangwu scampered away from the defense on a 49-yard run.
In the final minute of the quarter, Duggan connected with Barber on a 27-yard touchdown pass, pulling TCU within two, 23-21.
Iowa State extended its lead back to nine on Hall's 1-yard scoring leap with 12:52 left. Duggan's 48-yard touchdown to Artayvious Lynn with 6:51 left made it 30-28.
Hall went untouched on a 32-yard touchdown run up the middle to give the Cyclones some elbow room with 2:54 left. TCU scored again, on Blair Conwright's 31-yard touchdown reception from Duggan, but it came on the final play of the game.
The Cyclones led 16-7 at halftime. Hall found a big hole to his right and scooted along the right sideline on his 75-yard run to break the scoreless deadlock with 9:50 left in the half.
TCU soon got on the board on Matthew Downing's first career touchdown pass. It went to true freshman Quentin Johnston, who broke free on the 37-yard play with 6:37 left to tie it 7-7.
Iowa State scored nine unanswered points before the half was through. Purdy's 49-yard completion to Landen Akers set up Connor Assalley's 25-yard field goal just 1:41 before halftime.
JaQuan Bailey then forced a Downing fumble on a sack and recovered the ball at the Horned Frogs' 17. Two plays later, Purdy connected with Darren Wilson on a 17-yard scoring pass. The extra point was missed.
--Field Level Media