Cyclones Dominate Coogs 45-14
Article By: THE HOUSTON POST
Staff writer
AMES, Iowa – On a crisp Thursday night under the lights of Jack Trice Stadium, the Iowa State Cyclones (4-1) delivered a statement win, dismantling the Houston Cougars (3-6) in a lopsided 45-14 affair. From start to finish, the Cyclones' relentless rushing attack and suffocating defense overwhelmed the visiting Cougars, turning what was briefly a competitive game into a showcase of dominance.
The Cougars struck first, with senior quarterback Donovan Smith finding the end zone on their second possession to give Houston an early 7-0 lead. However, that would be the lone bright spot for the Cougars. Iowa State responded with a scoring barrage, taking a commanding 24-14 lead into halftime and shutting Houston out entirely in the second half.
The Cyclones churned out an impressive 565 yards of total offense, with a staggering 361 of those coming on the ground. The rushing attack, led by a committee of backs, consistently gashed Houston’s defense, keeping the Cougars off-balance all night. On the other side, Smith was limited to 220 yards through the air, throwing two touchdowns but also two costly interceptions that stalled any chance of a Cougar comeback.
Iowa State's defense was relentless, holding Houston to just 308 total yards and forcing multiple turnovers. After a promising start, the Cougars found themselves on their heels, unable to match the Cyclones' intensity or physicality.
The loss drops Houston to 3-6 on the season, pushing them closer to bowl ineligibility, while Iowa State improves to 4-1 and keeps its momentum alive in a competitive Big 12 race.
For Houston, the road ahead doesn’t get any easier. “We’ve got to clean things up,” head coach Yragha said. “Turnovers, missed assignments – it all adds up. Iowa State played a great game, but we didn’t help ourselves tonight.”
The Cyclones look to carry this momentum into next week while the Cougars will return to Houston in search of answers before their next matchup against Arizona.
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