The Kansas State Wildcats and the Iowa State Cyclones kicked off the 2025 college football season on Saturday in a rainy afternoon in Dublin, Ireland. The Big 12 programs went to the other side of the pond to play in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic, with Iowa State winning the conference matchup.
While the game started wobbly for both schools, as they committed easily avoidable mistakes on offense, on the other hand, their defensive units seemed much more in form during their first outing of the season. The game wasn’t a smooth affair, with play usually slowing down and becoming physical.
Fumbles were the name of the game during the first half of the encounter, with multiple ones in both the first and the second quarter. In the second half, the offensive power of both schools was more on display wth a back and forth that finished with a 24-21 victory for the Cyclones.
Iowa State vs. Kansas State Stats
Iowa State
Passing
| Player | C/ATT | Yards | TD | Int |
| Rocco Becht | 14/28 | 183 | 2 | 0 |
Rushing
| Player | Carries | Yards | Avg | TD |
| Carson Hansen | 16 | 71 | 4.4 | 0 |
| Abu Sama III | 14 | 43 | 3.1 | 0 |
| Rocco Becht | 12 | 18 | 1.5 | 1 |
Receiving
| Player | Receptions | Yards | Avg | TD |
| Brett Eskildsen | 3 | 46 | 15.3 | 1 |
| Benjamin Brahmer | 2 | 41 | 20.5 | 0 |
| Gabe Burkle | 3 | 31 | 10.3 | 0 |
| Dominic Overby | 2 | 29 | 14.5 | 1 |
| Carson Hansen | 2 | 19 | 9.5 | 0 |
| Eli Green | 2 | 17 | 8.5 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | TOT | SOLO | SACKS | TFL |
| Marcus Neal Jr. | 8 | 4 | 0 | 1.5 |
| Jamison Patton | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Kooper Ebel | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Jontez Williams | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0.5 |
| Carson Willich | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Caleb Bacon | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| Jeremiah Cooper | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0.5 |
| Tre Bell | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0.5 |
| Carson Van Dinter | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0.5 |
| Domonique Orange | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Caden Kock | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Khijohnn Cummings-Coleman | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Ikenna Ezeogu | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Tamatoa McDonough | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Quentin Taylor Jr. | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Cael Brezina | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Drew Surges | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Will McLaughlin | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ta’Shawn James | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jace J. Gilbert | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.5 |
Kansas State
Passing
| Player | C/ATT | Yards | TD | Int |
| Avery Johnson | 21/30 | 273 | 2 | 0 |
Rushing
| Player | Carries | Yards | Avg | TD |
| Joe Jackson | 12 | 51 | 4.3 | 0 |
| Jayce Brown | 2 | 29 | 14.5 | 0 |
| Avery Johnson | 8 | 21 | 2.6 | 1 |
| DeVon Rice | 5 | 9 | 1.8 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | REC | YDS | AVG | TD |
| Jayce Brown | 4 | 78 | 19.5 | 1 |
| Jerand Bradley | 3 | 75 | 25 | 1 |
| Garrett Oakley | 5 | 62 | 12.4 | 0 |
| Jaron Tibbs | 4 | 35 | 8.8 | 0 |
| Brayden Loftin | 1 | 18 | 18 | 0 |
| Joe Jackson | 1 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| Will Anciaux | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| DeVon Rice | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Terrence Enos Jr. | 1 | -3 | -3 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | TOT | SOLO | SACKS | TFL | PD |
| Donovan McIntosh | 8 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Zashon Rich | 8 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Austin Romaine | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| VJ Payne | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tobi Osunsanmi | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Qua Moss | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Wesley Fair | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Gabe Powers | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Travis Bates | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Damian Ilalio | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Rex Van Wyhe | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jordan Allen | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Cody Stufflebean | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Uso Seumalo | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chiddi Obiazor | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Logan Bartley | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Gunner Maldonado | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kanijal Thomas | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Desmond Purnell | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Justice Clemons | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Aer Lingus Football Classic First Half Summary: Iowa State vs. Kansas State
1st quarter
Despite fumbling twice in the opening quarter, the Cyclones managed to pull away 7-0 with a 23-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Rocco Becht to Dominic Overdy at 3:26. The K-State Wildcats had to punt on both their possessions.
The first punt of the game, Kansas State running back Dylon Edwards failed to catch the ball and suffered an injury that forced him out of the game.
2nd quarter
The Wildcats punched back quickly. After a long possession of 10 plays, which started in the 1st quarter, quarterback Avery Johnson scored a rushing touchdown on a short 10-yard run at 14:55. Fumbles were the name of the game again, with each team committing one. The physicality of the encounter was on display when the Cyclones’ defense forced a turnover on downs at 11:58 on their 7-yard line, and with the Wildcats one yard away from a first down.
The Cyclones also passed on an opportunity to get ahead with a 48-yard field goal attempt by Kyle Konrardy in a 4th and 9 with 4:13 left on the clock.
3rd quarter
After an eleven-play drive, the Iowa State Cyclones took the lead with 1:07 left in the 3rd quarter. Rocco Betch threw a 24-yard pass to receiver Brett Eskildsen. The rest of the quarter had been a slug, with one punt per school and a turnover on downs by the Kansas State Wildcats.
4rd quarter
Almost all the excitement of the game was boiled down to the final quarter. To start the 4th quarter, Avery Johnson tied the game back at 14-14 with a 37-yard touchdown pass to Jayce Brown. In the next drive, the Cyclones took the lead again with a 34-yard field goal by Konrardy. K-State’s next drive ended in a turnover on downs, which was followed by a four-play Iowa State drive that finished with a Rocco Betch seven-yard run for a touchdown. While the game seemed over, there was a glimmer of hope for the Wildcats when Johnson threw a 65-yard touchdown pass to Jerand Bradley with 6:23 left on the clock. However, the Cyclones managed to eat away at the clock in their following drive for their first win of the season.
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