Creative ISU Falls at Missouri, 34-24

COLUMBIA, Mo. ? The Iowa State football team opened up its playbook utilizing a bevy of trick plays in the regular-season finale, but in the end a 24-point second half by Missouri helped the Tigers to a 34-24 victory Saturday at Faurot Field.

"Throughout the season, we have not given up many big plays," Iowa State head coach Paul Rhoads said. "Today, they made a couple big plays early in the second half and we responded by going three-and-out. That was the ball game."

ISU (6-6/3-5 Big 12) led 17-10 at the half and tied the score at 24 following a misdirection play. Quarterback Austen Arnaud hit offensive lineman Scott Haughton on a lateral pass and the Cyclone offensive tackle rumbled untouched 12 yards for a touchdown with under six minutes left in the third quarter. Haughton is the first ISU offensive lineman to score a touchdown since Jim Thompson against Kansas in 1992. However, the Tigers would go on to score 10 unanswered points.

"They let me call that play," Rhoads said of the backwards pass (lateral) to Haughton. "We talked about the play before the game with the officials to make sure he was eligible. Overall, the offense was good at times but went three-and-out at crucial moments."

Sophomore Darius Darks led the Cyclones with nine catches for 107 yards and one TD. Arnaud went 28-40 for 249 yards with one touchdown and a pair of interceptions. Seniors Christopher Lyle and Jesse Smith spearheaded the Iowa State defense with 11 tackles apiece. Lyle's 11 stops were a career high.

"At the start of the year, if I told you that Iowa State was going to go 6-6 and play in a bowl game you might have raised an eyebrow," Rhoads said. "This team deserves to play another game. We will get back to work this week, review film and hit the road recruiting."

The Tigers (7-4/3-4 Big 12) drove 55 yards on six plays to start the game, with running back Derrick Washington going up middle for a three-yard TD. Missouri led 7-0 with 9:31 left in the first quarter.

Iowa State struck back. On a key 3rd-and-10, Arnaud hit Darks for the first down, as Darks hauled in an impressive catch. After a couple of nifty runs, running back Alexander Robinson hit Jake Williams on a halfback pass for a 10-yard TD. Williams outmuscled the Tiger defender in the endzone to make the grab. The nine-play, 73-yard drive took just over two minutes.

Iowa State later stopped Missouri at the ISU 2-yard line on third down, forcing the Tigers to settle for a 20-yard field goal by Grant Ressel. Missouri led 10-7 with 1:18 left in the first quarter.

The Cyclones stopped the Tigers on fourth down with 9:09 left in the second quarter and put together a 12-play, 55-yard drive that ended with Grant Mahoney tying the game on a 34-yard field goal with 3:22 left in the first half. The teams were knotted at 10-10.

Late in the first half, Missouri drove into Iowa State territory, when the Tigers' Gerald Jackson fumbled on a pass reception. ISU's Fred Garrin recovered the ball at the ISU 34-yard line with 59 seconds left in the first half. Arnaud capped a 4-play, 66-yard drive by linking up with Darks on an impressive 38-yard TD pass to give Iowa State a 17-10 lead with 26 seconds left in the first half.

After Iowa State went 3-and-out to start the second half, Missouri tied the game at 17-17 in striking fashion on a 70-yard TD pass from Blaine Gabbert to Jerrel Jackson with 12:37 left in the third quarter. On Missouri's next drive, Gabbert hit Danario Alexander with a short pass that turned into a 63-yard TD that gave Missouri a 24-17 lead with 8:19 left in the third quarter. Alexander finished the game with 11 catches for 173 yards and the score.

Iowa State will wait to learn its postseason fate, as the Cyclones are bowl eligible for the fist time since 2005.

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Players Mentioned

Austen Arnaud

Austen Arnaud

Darius Darks

Darius Darks

Fred Garrin

Fred Garrin

Scott Haughton

Scott Haughton

Christopher Lyle

Christopher Lyle

Christopher Lyle

Grant Mahoney

Grant Mahoney

Grant Mahoney

Alexander Robinson

Alexander Robinson

Alexander Robinson

Jesse Smith

Jesse Smith

Jake Williams

Jake Williams

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