Iowa State vs Colorado football report card, Cyclones lose second straight game
The Iowa State Cyclones, ranked 21st and carrying the weight of a promising 5-1 start into Boulder, saw their aspirations dealt a brutal blow in a 24-17 road loss to the Colorado Buffaloes, a defeat that felt less like a simple scoreline and more like a masterclass in squandered momentum. This wasn't just a second consecutive loss; it was a game of two starkly different halves, a tale of what could have been, decided by a single, controversial officiating decision that will haunt Ames for weeks.For more than a quarter-and-a-half, the Cyclone offense was an engine struggling to turn over, punting on its first four drives as quarterback Rocco Becht and his receivers seemed to be playing out of sync, a frustrating display of off-target throws and uncharacteristic drops on four or five catchable balls that stalled any early rhythm. Yet, just as hope seemed to be dimming, the offense found its pulse with a quick two-minute drill before halftime, a spark almost entirely provided by the explosive Abu Sama III.Stepping into the void left by the concussed Carson Hansen, Sama was a force of nature, evoking memories of his legendary 276-yard freshman eruption at Kansas State as he gashed a Colorado run defense that entered the day as the Big 12's most porous. He finished with a monumental 177 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries, a performance that should have been the stuff of game-winning legends, his offensive line paving the way like a red-and-gold wall.Becht, after a woeful start of 8-of-18 for 80 yards, found a measure of efficiency, going 10-of-15 for 125 yards the rest of the way, but the passing game never truly felt dangerous, lacking the decisive, game-breaking connection that separates good teams from great ones. The true turning point, the moment where the game's soul seemed to shift, came with the Cyclones on the brink of taking the lead, facing a third-and-goal.Becht's pass was intercepted by Colorado's Tawfiq Byard, but away from the ball, a flag flew into the night air as tight end Ben Brahmer appeared to be clearly pulled down in the end zone. The initial call of defensive pass interference offered a lifeline, but in a gut-wrenching reversal, the officials picked up the flag, a costly no-call that robbed Iowa State of a fresh set of downs and, arguably, the game.From that moment, the Cyclones' fight seemed to dissipate; they never again threatened a scoring opportunity, their fate sealed by a subsequent gutsy—and ultimately disastrous—fourth-down attempt at their own 18-yard line that was stuffed, gifting Colorado a short field that resulted in a critical, back-breaking field goal. Defensively, the Cyclones showed marked improvement from their previous week's dissection by Cincinnati, forcing four three-and-outs in the first half and valiantly keeping the Buffaloes at bay while the offense found its footing.However, costly lapses proved fatal. Out of the halftime break, the unit looked shaky, allowing touchdowns on consecutive drives, most egregiously on a 70-yard Omarion Miller touchdown reception where he was left utterly alone, streaking past Quentin Taylor Jr.and Jamison Patton in a catastrophic breakdown of zone coverage that saw neither defender drop deep. Then, with the game on the line, a missed assignment by Marcus Neal on a critical third-and-17 allowed Colorado quarterback Kaidon Salter to complete a deep pass down the middle for a fresh set of downs, effectively icing the game and extinguishing any last flicker of hope.Special teams were a mixed bag, operating in the noticeable absence of kicker Kyle Konrardy. Chase Smith, in relief, converted a 38-yard field goal and both extra points, but his value was underscored when he appeared to tweak a hamstring, forcing offensive lineman Carson Rhodes into emergency kickoff duty.While there were no spectacular highlights, the relentless hustle of Beni Ngoyi on the punt unit, twice racing downfield to prevent a touchback and pin the Buffaloes deep, was a small but significant bright spot in an otherwise gloomy special teams performance. For Coach Deion Sanders and Colorado, this was a program-defining victory, their first conference win and first over a ranked opponent since that seismic debut against TCU, a testament to their resilience.For Iowa State, however, this loss cuts deeper than the record. It’s a game that exposes the fine margins in college football—a single unflagged hold, a single coverage bust, a single failed fourth-down gamble—that can transform a potential season of triumph into a desperate fight for relevance, leaving the Cyclones to ponder what might have been as they stare down a challenging path forward in the Big 12.
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