No. 9 Iowa State stays undefeated with 38–35 win over UCF, scoring TD with 30 seconds left

No. 9 Iowa State narrowly remained undefeated at 7–0 with a last-minute 38–35 win over UCF in Ames on Saturday night.

Quarterback Rocco Becht scored on a one-yard run to give the Cyclones a 36–35 lead with 30 seconds remaining in the game. Becht then ran in a two-point conversion attempt for a 38–36 margin.

Iowa State drove for the winning score with 1:47 left in the fourth quarter, driving 80 yards in 11 plays. A pass interference call on UCF defensive back B.J. Adams gave the Cyclones a 1st-and-goal from the 4-yard line. Three plays later, Becht ran in the go-ahead score.

from the ranks of the undefeated. The No. 9 Cyclones suffered their first loss of the season, falling 35–30 in Ames to UCF on Saturday night.

Iowa State drove toward the winning touchdown with 1:47 remaining in the game.

The Knights were lifted by big plays throughout the game. Yet the dagger was an interception returned 70 yards by Braeden Marshall. Amazingly, Marshall thought he scored a touchdown but dropped the ball before crossing the goal line.

Replay reviews overturned the score. However, no one from either team recovered the ball after Marshall dropped it so UCF maintained possession and had 1st-and-goal from the 1-yard line. Running back RJ Harvey scored on the next play to give the Knights a 35–27 lead.

UCF scored on its first possession, driving 75 yards in just six plays highlighted by a 46-yard run by Harvey. Quarterback Jacurri Brown finished the drive with a 6-yard touchdown run.

That was only the beginning for the senior running back, who rushed for 178 yards and a touchdown in the first half on 16 carries. In the process, he became the fourth UCF rusher to compile 3,000 yards in his career.

Harvey added an 80-yard touchdown in the second quarter that tied the score at 14–14. finished with 196 yards and two scores on 25 rushes. Brown added 151 yards rushing and two more TDs on 12 carries.