Iowa State Football: 3 takeaways from thrashing of Kansas State

Iowa State football hosted Kansas State in Week 12 and picked up a 45-0 blowout win over the Wildcats. What’d we learn?

Coming into the season, the favorite in the Big 12 was a team wearing red that didn’t reside in the state of Texas. However, it was a team further up north than most people thought as Iowa State came into this game with a hold of the Big 12 lead and surging to keep it.

However, little did we know that Farmageddon would have a humongous impact on which team would be playing in Arlington in December for the Big 12 title. Iowa State controls their own destiny and they were hoping to impress. Did the Cyclones ever send a message to the rest of the conference.

The Cyclones would strike first with a dose of Breece Hall. A play action fake would give Purdy a chance to throw a deep ball and connect with wide receiver Joe Scates from 33 yards out.

Coming into the game, freshman quarterback Will Howard has been inconsistent and below average, when it comes to making his throws.

After the Wildcats storm down inside the 5, they could not convert on fourth down. A read option kept by Howard would be stuffed by safety Lawrence White and kept the Wildcats out of the end zone.

Purdy struggled mightily out of the gates against Baylor, throwing three interceptions in the first half and with a 21-10 deficit. Ever since the second half of that game, Purdy has been nothing short of magnificent. It took him until 11 minutes into second quarter until Purdy had an incompletion and that was because it was a batted ball at the line of scrimmage.

He would lead the Cyclones down the field once again and hit All-Big 12 tight end Charlie Kolar in the back of the end zone for a six yard touchdown throw. That offensive success would lead to the Cyclones defense as well. They stuffed any chances of the Wildcats beating Iowa State deep, with excellent play of the linebacker duo of Greg Eisworth and Mike Rose.

Iowa State wants to win with a punishing run game and tall, lengthy pass catchers. One of those rangy targets is wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson. He skied for this Purdy pass and would come down with it, good for 21 yards and a touchdown to put the Cyclones up comfortably, 21-0.

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Up to this point in the game, Hall has been relatively quiet, with Purdy doing majority of the load. Hall had just 40 yards on 10 carries. However, Hall would break through near the back half of the first half with a 29-yard run ad 33 yard run that would expand the Cyclone lead to 28.

Things went from bad to worse as Will Howard would throw an interception on the first play of the ensuing possession. To no surprise, it was Mike Rose coming up with the turnover. Hall would tally another touchdown and the route would be on in Ames.

Backup quarterback Nick Ast would come in to start for Kansas State to begin the 2nd half. Not much more luck would come as they would stall on 4th down, near midfield.

Matters did not get much better for the Wildcats as they would fully collapse. Two fumbles to begin possession would make matters worse with Iowa State’s backups in by the fourth quarter. It would end up with a rushing touchdown for quarterback Hunter Dekkers as that would cap off a 45-0 drubbing of Kansas State.