Iowa State Football: 3 takeaways from heartbreaking loss vs. Iowa

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AMES, IA – SEPTEMBER 14: Defensive end A.J. Epenesa #94, and defensive lineman Austin Schulte #74 of the Iowa Hawkeyes tackle quarterback Brock Purdy #15 of the Iowa State Cyclones as he scrambled for yards in the first half of play at Jack Trice Stadium on September 14, 2019 in Ames, Iowa. (Photo by David Purdy/Getty Images) /

2. Brock Purdy looked like old self

There were worries after his Week 1 showing that Brock Purdy may in for a sophomore slump, but he shook off that Northern Iowa performance with a strong outing against rival Iowa.

A bye week had to help clear his mind, but he still looked like an elite Big 12 quarterback, finishing with 276 yards and a touchdown on 24-of-34 completions. He was making solid throws all night long and didn’t make any serious mistakes until the fourth quarter when he sailed a pass on fourth-and-long which was a crucial situation before Iowa’s final drive.

The Cyclones have to feel good about how the sophomore quarterback looked through the air as well as with his legs. In fact, he finished with another 34 rushing yards on nine carries, flashing his athleticism.

Iowa State can stay alive in the Big 12 race because it has a top-tier quarterback who showed resiliency by shaking off a Week 1 letdown to have one of his better games against a tough defense in a rivalry game.

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