Special Teams Shockingly Costly for Iowa State Cyclones Against Arkansas State

Special teams were a letdown for the Iowa State Cyclones.

Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones handled a unique challenge on Saturday afternoon when they traveled for their first true road game of the campaign, facing off with the Arkansas State Red Wolves in Jonesboro, Arkansas, at Centennial Bank Stadium.

It was a hard-fought victory for the Cyclones, who moved to 4-0 with a 24-16 victory. It was already their third one-score win this season, gaining a lot of experience producing under pressure in crucial moments of the game. For the third time this campaign, they were kneeling out the game in their opponent’s red zone.

There were a lot of positives from the team’s performance on Saturday. Seeing the running game get on track was encouraging after some struggles over the first three weeks. They rushed for 187 yards, with Carson Hansen leading the way with 116 yards on 18 carries. Over the first three weeks, he totaled only 136 yards on 36 attempts.

Iowa State Offense Hums Against Arkansas State

Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

Rocco Becht also performed at a high level. He scored Iowa State’s first touchdown with a 10-yard scamper in the first quarter. Another score was added right before halftime when he connected with Dominic Overby for a 27-yard strike. He finished the game with 265 passing yards.

Credit should be given to the defense for containing dynamic Red Wolves quarterback Jaylen Raynor. A dual-threat, he showcased that ability with a team-high 83 rushing yards and 222 passing yards. But, he did throw one interception to go along with a rushing score.

Alas, this was far from a perfect all-around performance from Matt Campbell’s squad. During the bye week, one of the points of emphasis in practice will assuredly be special teams performance. That unit was not up to par as it has been thus far this year.

Iowa State's Special Teams Has Tough Afternoon Against Arkansas State

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Walk-on kicker Kyle Konrardy has become a star in his own right with his heroics provided by his right leg. He nailed a 54-yard field goal last week against the Iowa Hawkeyes for the second straight year to keep the Cy-Hawk Trophy in Ames. A 63-yarder was hit against the South Dakota Coyotes the week before.

Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to keep that positive momentum going Saturday afternoon. After making a 41-yard field goal to get the scoring started for the Cyclones, he missed the extra point after Becht’s rushing score. On the team’s next possession, Konrardy missed a 48-yard field goal.

It was the first time in his career that he missed multiple attempts in the same game. Hopefully, this is just a blip on the radar for the sophomore who has come up big so many times already in his career. Backup Chase Smith took the extra point attempt on the final touchdown of the game and was successful on the try.

4-0.

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— Iowa State Football (@CycloneFB) September 13, 2025

After the missed field goal, another special teams mistake occurred on the ensuing Arkansas State possession. After the defense looked to force a three-and-out, a penalty was committed on the punt. Backup safety Drew Surges committed a roughing the passer penalty to get the Red Wolves offense back on the field. They made the most of it, taking advantage of a 70-yard touchdown drive and 10-9 lead.

It didn’t end up costing Iowa State in the long run, but things have to be cleaned up in that facet of the game. Special teams looked like it would be a strength for Campbell’s squad. Hopefully, the bye week provides an opportunity for the unit to reset and get things back on track.