Aiden Flora accounts for 5 TDs as Iowa State outlasts West Virginia in a wild 45-42 victory
Aiden Flora accounted for five touchdowns, including the go-ahead score with 1:57 left, and Iowa State held off West Virginia 45-42 in a wild game in which the teams combined for over 1,000 yards of offense
AMES, Iowa -- Aiden Flora accounted for five touchdowns, including the go-ahead score with 1:57 left, and Iowa State held off West Virginia 45-42 Saturday in a wild game in which the teams combined for over 1,000 yards of offense.
Iowa State (3-2, 1-1 Big 12) came from behind twice in the final 7 1/2 minutes and sealed the victory when Beni Ngoyi forced and recovered a fumble with 59 seconds left.
Flora ran 22 times for 212 yards, both career highs, and three touchdowns. He also threw for two TDs on halfback passes.
Iowa State finished with 577 yards of offense and West Virginia with 518. The 1,095 yards were fourth-most in a Bowl Subdivision game this season, and the combined 671 yards were second-most in a second half.
The Mountaineers (3-2, 0-2) scored touchdowns on four straight possessions, taking a 42-38 lead on Michael Hawkins Jr.'s 47-yard pass to DJ Epps with 5:04 left.
The Cyclones then went 74 yards in six plays, with Flora scoring from 2 yards out for the final margin.
Flora’s first touchdown pass went for 46 yards and came when he caught a lateral from Jaylen Raynor and threw to a wide-open Cody Jackson.
Flora’s second TD pass came when he took a pitch and flipped the ball 2 yards to Vince Benetti for a 21-14 halftime lead, and he put the Cyclones up two touchdowns early in the third quarter when he burst 24 yards up the middle.
Raynor completed 19 of 27 passes for 264 yards, and Jackson caught six balls for 160 yards.
Hawkins ran for two touchdowns and threw for two others. He and Cam Cook had 20 carries apiece, with Hawkins finishing with 149 yards and Cook with 142.
West Virginia: For all their offensive production, the Mountaineers have given up a combined 1,186 yards to Oklahoma State and Iowa State in back-to-back weeks and are last in the Big 12 in total defense at 456.6 per game.
Iowa State: The Cyclones entered the game 16th, and last, in the Big 12 in total offense at 345.3 yards per game. Their total against West Virginia was their highest in a conference game since they amassed 608 against Texas Tech in 2016.
West Virginia: hosts Arizona next Saturday.
Iowa State: visits No. 10 BYU on Friday.
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