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Iowa State Football: Cyclones top Memphis in AutoZone Liberty Bowl

By Jesse Smith

NORMAN, OK - OCTOBER 07: Quarterback Kyle Kempt #17 of the Iowa State Cyclones looks to throw against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on October 7, 2017 in Norman, Oklahoma. Iowa State defeated Oklahoma 38-31. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images)
NORMAN, OK - OCTOBER 07: Quarterback Kyle Kempt #17 of the Iowa State Cyclones looks to throw against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on October 7, 2017 in Norman, Oklahoma. Iowa State defeated Oklahoma 38-31. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images) /
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Defense led Iowa State football past No. 20 Memphis 21-20 in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. Here are three takeaways from the Cyclones’ victory?

More: Complete 2017-2018 bowl schedule

Coming into the AutoZone Liberty Bowl both Iowa State and Memphis want to finish their impressive seasons strong. Nobody thought Memphis would have a shot at winning a school record 11 games at the beginning of the season and Iowa State fans had no ideal their team would beat the likes of Oklahoma and TCU on road to their first bowl game since 2012.

Here are three takeaways from Iowa State’s 21-20 win against Memphis.

1. Allen Lazard is a stud

David Montgomery gets a lot of fanfare and rightfully so, but watching today’s game it was senior wide receiver Allen Lazard that put on a serious show all afternoon. Lazard finished the game with 10 catches for 142 yards and one touchdown. He did this pretty much limping around most of the game, if quarterback Kyle Kempt needed a big play he looked for Lazard and all day he came through with the play.

Iowa State fans will miss Lazard next year, but they will remember this performance forever. He is a big physical receiver and he wasn’t to be denied today and it showed by his teams play. They were in a rock fight against  Memphis and because of the play of the senior they had rock that the defacto home team couldn’t counter. Not only did they finally get to their first bowl since 2012 because of the great play of their senior they came to Memphis and won the game.

Montgomery didn’t have a monster day because of how stout the Memphis defense was, but Kempt had it rolling as he threw for 314 yards and two touchdowns.

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