Iowa State Cyclones get first home win over Oklahoma Sooners since 1960

ByABC News
October 4, 2020, 12:19 AM

AMES, Iowa -- It was another milestone win for Matt Campbell's rising program at Iowa State. For Oklahoma, it was another crushing loss.

Breece Hall scored the go-ahead touchdown on an 8-yard run with 4:06 left and Isheem Young intercepted Spencer Rattler's pass in the end zone on No. 18 Oklahoma's final drive, giving Iowa State a 37-30 victory Saturday night.

It was the Cyclones' first win over Oklahoma in Ames since 1960, as Iowa State had lost 24 straight home games to the Sooners. That is the longest home losing streak against a single opponent by any team in the AP Poll era, which began in 1936.

The Sooners (1-2, 0-2 Big 12), beaten at home by Kansas State last week, dropped back-to-back regular-season games for the first time since 1999.

"It was a great feeling to pull a W out and make history,'' Young said.

The Cyclones (2-1, 2-0) wore down the Sooners with the running of Hall, who rushed for 139 yards. Iowa State's Brock Purdy passed for 254 yards and had a 2-yard touchdown run to tie it at 30.

"It's our senior class," said Campbell, Iowa State's fifth-year coach. "We've got 16 seniors who came here on a dream that we someday could turn Iowa State football around. They came here at 3-9 and believed in us and believed in our vision.''

The win was celebrated by a crowd of 13,724 at Jack Trice Stadium. No fans were allowed for the Sept. 12 loss to Louisiana-Lafayette.

"It was definitely noticeable,'' Purdy said of the crowd. "Obviously, when you have explosive plays, it's nice to have people behind your back and going crazy.''

Isaiah Thomas seemed to turn momentum in the Sooners' favor when he sacked Purdy, causing him to fumble at the Cyclones' 39. Four plays later, Rattler found Jeremiah Hall for a 4-yard touchdown pass that put Oklahoma up 30-23 with 8:17 left.

Kene Nwangwu returned the ensuing kickoff 85 yards, setting up Purdy's short touchdown run that tied it.

"If you ask me, that's the play of the game,'' Campbell said. "If that doesn't happen, I don't know what the outcome is.''

Rattler had played a strong game, committing no turnovers before Young stepped in front of his pass to Charleston Rambo to secure one of Campbell's biggest wins in in Ames.

Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley called it a "very, very gut-wrenching loss.''

"We were one play short,'' he said. "Obviously, our back is against the wall as a football team. We know that, we accept that. Our guys are hurt.

"Most of our guys haven't experienced a start to the season like this. It's still about how you respond. I believe I know how this group will. Despite the sickening feeling in my stomach right now and how disappointed we are, we know there are the makings of a good football team in there right now. I'll continue to ride with this team. There are a lot of guys who are down, but they aren't out of the fight.''

The Associated Press contributed to this report.