Dec 28, 2024; Orlando, FL, USA; Iowa State Cyclones quarterback Rocco Becht (3) celebrates after beating Miami Hurricanes in the Pop Tarts bowl at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
ORLANDO, Fla. — The touchdowns came in bunches. Defensive stops, except for turnovers, were few and far between early. But Saturday’s pulse-pounding Pop-Tarts Bowl between No. 18 Iowa State and No. 13 Miami eventually slowed to a timeout-fueled crawl — until Cyclone quarterback Rocco Becht plunged in for a one-year touchdown with 56 seconds left, and his team held on for a thrilling 42-41 comeback win at Camping World Stadium.
“We’ve been in those situations before,” said Becht, whose touchdown run came on fourth down and capped a 15-play, 84-yard drive that spanned 5:38. “We practice it all the time. I think our team just has the poise and the confidence to execute in the biggest moments.”
Becht — who also threw three touchdowns passes — scored a game-winner on a similar play earlier this season to help the Cyclones survive, 38-35, over UCF, which, ironically enough, plays its home games across town in Orlando.
Becht, a Florida native, completed 22 of 36 passes for 270 yards and touchdowns to tailback Carson Hansen, wide receiver Jaylin Noel and tight end Gabe Burkle.
Hansen scored three touchdowns — two rushing, one receiving — and the Cyclones (11-3) overcame a 10-point second-half deficit to extend its single-season record for wins to 11. They also won a bowl game for the first time since vanquishing Oregon 34-17 in the 2021 Fiesta Bowl, while Miami fell to 1-12 in its past 13 bowl appearances.
“We’ve been in some really hard spots,” ISU head coach Matt Campbell said after his team’s fifth one-score win in a season filled with firsts. “We’ve been in some tough situations and our ability to just keep playing — and it’s easy to say those things, right? Keep playing and stay in it, but you only do that if the locker room demands it. You only do it if the seniors and the guys who lead the football team show up every single day since January and they believe in that.”
ISU’s 42 points set a new program bowl record — as did its 41 points surrendered in a game that featured 930 yards of combined offense.
The Cyclones’ defense amassed three turnovers, but didn’t force Miami’s first punt until 6:34 remained, which set up the Becht-led win-sealing comeback drive. The Hurricanes’ last-gasp Hail Mary attempt was intercepted by safety Drew Surges as time expired. Thousands of Cyclone fans in attendance exulted as their team won in Orlando for the first time in three trips — and watched the players feast on the human-sized Pop-Tart.
“We were ready for (the moment),” said Noel, a two-time captain and senior who made eight catches for 117 yards and a touchdown while fellow senior Jayden Higgins opted not to play in the game. “I mean, l it hasn’t hit me yet. I love this team so much. I love coach (Campbell) for everything he’s done for me. This team means the world to mer and there’s no better way to go out.”
Senior cornerback Darien Porter — like Higgins — went through pregame warmups but chose not to play. Burkle, a former Cedar Rapids Prairie star, caught four passes for 54 yards and his first career score. Hansen, a sophomore, gained 98 all-purpose yards and pushed his season total of touchdowns to 15.
“I trusted our defense to make that stop late in the game,” Hansen said. “I was a little worried because, you know, it’s a close game and they have great players, too, but we do also, so it was just a great team win. It was just amazing to see that confetti fall.”
Miami star quarterback Cam Ward elected to play despite being broadly considered to be a top-five NFL Draft pick and threw three touchdown passes in the first half. Curiously, he sat out the second, and had to watch ISU secure the last-second comeback win.
“In decisions like that, we make them in private and we keep them in private, so I’d prefer not to answer questions (that) relate to that,” Miami head coach Mario Cristobal said. “But I know he played his best while he was in there.”
The Hurricanes amassed 358 yards of offense in the first half alone while averaging 9.4 yards per play. The Cyclones’ injury-depleted defense became even thinner, as senior captain and safety Beau Freyler suffered a leg injury in the first half and did not return, but the unit bowed up when the game was on the line — and Freyler looked on approvingly from the sidelines.
“As you guys that have covered us know, Beau has fought through injury for every single game he’s stepped on that field for the last three years,” Campbell said of Freyler, who like Noel, is a two-time captain. “He’ll go down as one of the great leaders of all time in this football program and he should be considered that forever.”
Just like Saturday’s last-second win. ISU “didn’t flinch,” as Campbell often says, while making history one last time this season.
“Man, they are going to talk about Jaylin Noel forever, and they are going to talk about Beau (Freyler) forever, and they are going to talk about Rocco (Becht) forever,” Campbell said.