Fiesta Bowl live updates: Iowa State 28, Oregon 17
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It’s probably not how you imagined it, with no fans and the pandemic “build-up,” but don’t let yourself forget that the biggest bowl game in Iowa State football history happens today.
The Cyclones have earned every bit of the next few hours’ spotlight when they take on Pac-12 Conference champion Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl.
Matt Campbell’s Big 12 Conference runner-up squad finished the season ranked 10th in the College Football Playoff poll, good enough for one of the last remaining at-large berths in the prestigious New Year’s Six tier of bowl games.
In the lead-up to the 2020 election, all eyes are on Iowa. Get updates of all things Iowa politics delivered to your inbox.
Brock Purdy will be ready for his virtual home game outside of Phoenix at State Farm Stadium, home of the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals. Our Randy Peterson and Travis Hines are on-site to observe the action, and Danny Lawhon will be watching the 3 p.m. ESPN broadcast alongside you.
Enjoy this memorable conclusion to a most unique and unforgettable Iowa State season.
Third quarter
5:31 p.m.: The Ducks stiffen on defense, and Iowa State can’t get a first down after the huge break. All the same, a Connor Assalley 33-yard field goal extends Iowa State’s lead to two touchdowns at 31-17 more than midway through the third quarter. — DL
5:25 p.m.: Iowa State is forced to punt in a similar position, but the second special-teams shifter of the day also goes the Cyclones’ way. A punt hit the helmet of Oregon’s Mykael Wright, who was a blocker on the play, and the ball ricocheted toward the middle of the punt. Iowa State’s Gerry Vaughn fell on the ball, and the Cyclones will start a possession deep in Oregon territory for the third time today. Officially, it’s the second turnover of the game for the Ducks. — DL
5:15 p.m.: We are under way in the second half, and we have a punt! It’s Oregon who is booting the ball first, as the Iowa State defense gets a key stop near midfield. The punt reached the end zone, and Iowa State can gain a three-score lead with a touchdown drive here to begin the third quarter. — DL
Second quarter
4:54 p.m.: Iowa State dominated the time of possession front, mostly thanks to those first two drives. The overall tally through 30 minutes is 21:29 for Iowa State and 8:31 for the Ducks. Oregon is averaging almost nine yards per play, and the Ducks get the ball to start the second half. Jon Heacock is too skilled a coordinator not to have some adjustments ready out of the locker room, but Oregon has a chance early in the third quarter to tighten this up. The first portion of the third quarter will dictate the rest of this game. — DL
4:45 p.m.: Oregon finishes the first half with a 47-yard field goal, after each team takes a timeout. Cyclones played a solid first half, and lead 28-17. –RP
4:34 p.m.: Iowa State capitalizes on its special teams fortunes, getting a Breece Hall touchdown to go up 28-14 with 1:27 left in the half. Pretty strong turn for the Cyclones. – TH
4:30 p.m.: In a reversal of special-teams fortunes, a sky kick in the second level of the Oregon return group finds a hole and, after a quirky bounce, leaves itself open for Rory Walling to pounce on it inside the Ducks’ 30. Iowa State has another chance to capitalize and grab a two-score lead just before halftime. — DL
4:24 p.m.: That was easy. This time, Iowa State scored at the goal line. This time, Purdy fake-passed his way around the left side to easily fake out the defense and walk into the end zone. It’s 21-14 Cy with 1:44 left in the first half. 6-play, 75-yard drive, 1:33 for the drive. –RP
4:13 p.m.: What a shift this game has seen. Iowa State was a yard away from going up to scores, but instead it’s a tie game after the Cyclones were stuffed on fourth-and-goal and Oregon goes the length of the field for a touchdown. Iowa State forced and recovered a fumble, but other than that, Oregon has had no trouble moving the ball. – TH
4:08 p.m.: Somehow, a 14-yard drive consumes nearly four game minutes, but this time Oregon is up to the task on a stop of Breece Hall on fourth-and-goal. Trading mistakes. Oregon now on the move, quickly into Iowa State territory and the red zone after several chunk plays. — DL
4 p.m.: Iowa State now poised to put some distance between it and Oregon after the Ducks fumble in their own red zone, turning the ball over to the Cyclones on the 15. Could be a critical juncture in the game – even if it’s still early. – TH
3:56 p.m.: Two drives, and 15 minutes, 52 seconds off the clock for Iowa State on its offensive possessions. There’s a chance they could really gas the Oregon defense by the end of the third quarter and unleash Breece Hall, shortening this game and really putting pressure on the Ducks on the other end. Twenty-nine plays overall. Impressive in its deliberation. — DL
3:51 p.m.: Purdy trickeration with a couple fake handoffs leaves Kolar wide open in the end zone without a defender within 10 yards. Yep. It’s 14-7 Iowa State. 14-play, 69-yard drive, 8:09 drive. Assalley is 2-for-2. — RP
First quarter
3:29 p.m.: And just like that, it’s 7-all, as Oregon runs through Iowa State’s defense like it wasn’t even on the field. By time of possession comparisons, it wasn’t, with a drive lasting all of 3 minutes, 10 seconds. — RP
3:25 p.m.: The variety of the third-down conversions is what stuck out to me: a 7-yard pass to Sean Shaw; a 10-yard pass to Xavier Hutchinson; and then two Breece Hall plunges was a yard was needed. Patience, discipline, balance: a pretty stellar opening drive. — Danny Lawhon
3:19 p.m.: Iowa State actually came out of the locker room on fire for the start of a game. The Cyclones drove 75 yards in 15 yards, Hall running into the end zone untouched and Assalley making the PAT. It’s 7-zip Cy. No penalties on the drive. Four third-down conversions. Nice way to start. — Randy P
3:18 p.m.: A methodical first Iowa State drive is testing Oregon’s patience. And testing my ears’ patience. ESPN is having some major audio feedback issues so far. It might be stabilizing, but it was prevalent for the first 4 minutes, at least. Oof. First and goal to go after 7 minutes already burned off the clock. — Danny Lawhon
Pregame thoughts
2:13: p.m.: Welcome back Eddie Ogamba. Iowa State’s starting kickoff specialist is on the field practicing what he does. He was injured early in the season, and it seems like the Cyclones haven’t had any of a handful of replacements consistently kick the ball into the end zone. Unsure if he plays, but certainly Eddie is available. — Randy Peterson
1:51 p.m.: Hello, hello, hello from Glendale, Ariz., where Iowa State and Oregon are set to battle for the Fiesta Bowl title. First news out of warmups is that starting right tackle Jake Remsburg has his left arm in a shoulder sling, which means Joey Ramos will likely slide into that spot against the Ducks. Ramos started the first four games of the season, but Remsburg had taken over for the last seven. — Travis Hines
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Fiesta Bowl live updates: Iowa State 31, Oregon 17