Completed Event: Football versus #17 Kansas State on August 23, 2025 , Win , 24, to, 21
Final
Football
24
#17 Kansas State
21
Iowa State University Athletics
Saturday, August 30
Ames, Iowa
2:30 PM
Iowa State University
2-0 , 1-0
55
vs
7
South Dakota
0-1 , 0-0
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
South Dakota
7
0
0
0
7
#22 Iowa State
14
13
14
14
55
Photo by: LUKE LU @KL6PHOTO
Cyclones Cruise to 55-7 Win Over South Dakota in Home Opener
08.30.2025 | Football
AMES, Iowa – A packed stadium welcomed Matt Campbell's Iowa State football team for its first game of the season on U.S. soil.
Rocco Becht, his tight ends and kicker Kyle Konrardy turned it into a happy occasion for the Cyclone faithful.
Becht threw three touchdown passes, all to tight ends, and Konrardy blasted a school and stadium record 63-yard field goal, sparking No. 22 Iowa State to a 55-7 victory over South Dakota at MidAmerican Energy Field at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday.
The Cyclones (2-0) struggled through a sluggish start in their 24-21 win over Kansas State in Dublin, Ireland, a week ago, but Becht and Co. were sharp from the beginning in this one.
Becht hit Brett Eskildsen for 66 yards on the game's first play, went on to complete his first 14 passes and finished 19-of-20 for 278 yards and no interceptions before turning things over to freshman Alex Manske midway through the third quarter.
His 95 percent completion percentage is a school record, breaking the old mark of 91.7 percent that Seneca Wallace (22-of-24) posted against Baylor in 2001. Becht has thrown a TD pass in 20 straight games, the longest current streak in FBS, and has 19 games with multiple scoring passes, including five in a row.
The junior QB became just the third ISU player to pass for more than 7,000 yards, running his career total to 7,151, and his 53 touchdown passes put him alone in second place in the school record book. Brock Purdy is the leader with 81.
Becht threw scoring passes of 4 and 3 yards to Benjamin Brahmer and hit Gabe Burkle on an 18-yard scoring playing, the 6-foot-6, 255-pounder breaking two tackles on his way to the end zone. Brahmer caught two perfectly thrown balls in the far right corner of the end zone, one on each end of the field.
Brahmer, injured most of last season, finished with a career-high seven catches for 47 yards. Burkle had four catches for a career-best 85 yards and a third tight end, Tyler Moore, caught two balls for 33 yards.
With ISU leading 24-7 and time about to run out in the first half, Campbell sent Konrardy onto the field to try a kick with the ball spotted on his own 47. It was long enough and true, breaking the old stadium record of 62 yards by the Air Force's Dave Lawson back in 1975, the first year Jack Trice Stadium was open.
The old school record was 58 yards shared by Alex Giffords (1979) and Ty Stewart (twice in 1993). Konrardy also kicked a 28-yard field goal.
Redshirt freshman Aiden Flora added to the Cyclones' highlight reel with punt returns of 66 and 51 yards to set up touchdowns. It looked as though he had gone 99 yards for a touchdown on the 66-yarder, but a review showed his toe nicked the left sideline at the South Dakota 33. Jamison Patton set up another score with his third career interception.
Team Stats
USD
ISU
Total Yards
209
529
Pass Yards
126
306
Rushing Yards
83
223
Penalty Yards
36
30
1st Downs
11
28
3rd Downs
5
9
4th Downs
0
0
TOP
24:42
35:18
1st Quarter
USD 0, ISU 7
ISU - Brahmer,Benjamin 4 yd pass from Becht,Rocco (Konrardy,Kyle kick) 4 plays, 75 yards, TOP 01:50
USD 7, ISU 7
USD - Fenner,Larenzo 6 yd pass from Bouman,Aidan (Leyland,Will kick) 12 plays, 75 yards, TOP 07:26
USD 7, ISU 14
ISU - Sama,Abu 15 yd run (Konrardy,Kyle kick), 9 plays, 75 yards, TOP 04:32
2nd Quarter
USD 7, ISU 21
ISU - Brahmer,Benjamin 3 yd pass from Becht,Rocco (Konrardy,Kyle kick) 7 plays, 76 yards, TOP 03:55
USD 7, ISU 24
ISU - Konrardy,Kyle 28 yd field goal 11 plays, 52 yards, TOP 05:16
USD 7, ISU 27
ISU - Konrardy,Kyle 63 yd field goal 4 plays, 24 yards, TOP 00:27
3rd Quarter
USD 7, ISU 34
ISU - Burkle,Gabe 16 yd pass from Becht,Rocco (Konrardy,Kyle kick) 4 plays, 33 yards, TOP 02:00
USD 7, ISU 41
ISU - Townsend,Xavier 11 yd run (Smith,Chase kick), 2 plays, 24 yards, TOP 00:47
4th Quarter
USD 7, ISU 48
ISU - Manske,Alex 4 yd run (Smith,Chase kick), 15 plays, 64 yards, TOP 08:45
USD 7, ISU 55
ISU - Lee,Dylan 8 yd run (Smith,Chase kick), 8 plays, 85 yards, TOP 04:54
Game Leaders
Passing Leaders
CMP
19
TD
3
YDS
278
INT
0
CMP
4
TD
0
YDS
28
INT
0
Players Mentioned
QB
/ Football
TE
/ Football
TE
/ Football
WR
/ Football
RB
/ Football
PK
/ FootballQB
/ Football
TE
/ Football
DB
/ FootballCyclone Express South Dakota at ISU 2025
Friday, September 05
Jontez Williams 9_2_25 interview
Tuesday, September 02
Gabe Burkle 9_2_25 interview
Tuesday, September 02
Rocco Becht 9_2_25 interview
Tuesday, September 02
