For the second consecutive season, Iowa State has found a way to make everything interesting. It’s not at the level of their 2017 run, but they always play up to their opponents—something that’s not always a positive—which happened again, with a 30-14 victory over West Virginia.
Quarterback Brock Purdy led the Cyclones to this win, with 254 yards and three touchdowns. However, David Montgomery was the star of the show, with 189 yards on the ground and a touchdown.
This win won’t place Iowa State in the top 25, but it can potentially become a season-defining win to take them in a positive direction towards bowl eligibility. The momentum will subside for a week, but the next Big 12 matchup will transpire against Texas Tech on Oct. 27. Can they keep up the magic?
West Virginia had momentum and not just the Big 12, but the nation, due to placement just outside the top 10. A winnable game against Iowa State offered the potential to sustain success for one week and keep them afloat at 6-1. However, that went away instantly. A 30-14 loss likely curtailed any hope at the College Football Playoff for the Mountaineers, barring a perfect run to close the season and other teams across college football fumbling their final games. With a weekend to think everything over, WVU won’t return to the field until Thursday, Oct. 25 against Baylor. It’s an opportunity to get back on track and move towards the top of the conference again.