The 2025 college football season kicked off, and the Cyclones wasted no time in making a statement in Dublin. It’s a thrilling Big 12 showdown between Iowa State and Kansas State at the iconic Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland. It was a special Week 0 game, with the Cyclones and Wildcats bringing their fierce Big 12 rivalry overseas for fans on the Emerald Isle to soak in. Referees blew the whistle at the crack of 11 a.m. CT, and the teams were off. Kansas State won the toss and deferred, so Rocco Becht and the Cyclones’ offense are up first. Iowa State, fresh off a program-record 11-win season in 2024 that included an appearance in the Big 12 Championship Game, came into this game led by star quarterback Rocco Becht.

The game’s early moments were marked by a critical miscue as Kansas State muffed a punt deep in their territory. And handing Iowa State an incredible scoring opportunity. With the crowd watching closely, Rocco Becht took over the offense. And then magic happened. Becht drove the Cyclones down the field and delivered the first touchdown of the 2025 college football season. And also his first touchdown for Iowa State this year. The scoring drive goes four plays for 49 yards and takes 1:44 off the clock. He also extended his school-record streak of consecutive games with a touchdown pass to 19. This streak is the longest active in the entire FBS.

As the Cyclones took a 7-0 lead, it was clear that Rocco Becht was ready to carry on the momentum from last season’s success. Becht’s 19-game streak traces back to the 2023 season when he took over as Iowa State’s starting quarterback. Over the 2023 and 2024 seasons, Becht threw for a combined 6,625 passing yards with 48 touchdown passes against 17 interceptions. His domination began right after his predecessor, Hunter Dekkers, abruptly left the team. His 2024 campaign was a standout year. Last year, he passed for 3,505 yards and 25 touchdowns, completing nearly 60% of his throws.

Becht threw a touchdown pass in every game he started that year, displaying an immediate knack for finding the end zone consistently. His stellar freshman season saw him throw 23 touchdown passes in 13 games. Out of the 19 consecutive games in the streak, all but one were with Becht under center as the starter. This speaks volumes about his consistency game after game, especially in a competitive Big 12 conference. He’s also known for his clutch performances, leading multiple fourth-quarter comebacks and game-winning drives. Remember the 2024 Pop-Tarts Bowl against Miami?

With less than a minute left on the clock and the score neck-and-neck at 35-41, Becht took matters into his own hands and led one of the most clutch drives you’ll see all year. Becht showed off his calm under pressure by scrambling for a crucial 11 yards to keep the drive alive. The Cyclones then pushed steadily downfield, punctuated by a massive 29-yard catch from Jaylin Noel that ignited the crowd. With just seconds remaining, they were inside the red zone, facing a gnarly fourth-and-goal at the one-yard line. That one-yard plunge gave Iowa State a 42–41 lead with only 56 seconds left. Now, don’t be surprised if Becht once again pumps up his clutch gene against the Wildcats, as both teams are knotted up at 7-7 after a competitive first half.

Costly fumbles that shifted momentum to Kansas State

The Iowa State vs. Kansas State game in Dublin saw some costly miscues from the Cyclones. And especially when it came to fumbles that stalled promising drives and handed momentum to the Wildcats. Early on, the slippery conditions of the Aviva Stadium field played a big part in these turnovers, with rain and a wet football making clean handling tough for both teams. One of the most painful moments for Iowa State came during its first red zone attempt.

After a solid start on a muffed Kansas State punt that gave the Cyclones great field position. They marched close to the end zone only to have running back Abu Sama III fumble on a pitch from quarterback Rocco Becht. Kansas State recovered that ball near the Iowa State 16-yard line, abruptly ending what could have been a momentum-building scoring drive.

It was a tough break for the Cyclones, who had fans buzzing about a potential early-season statement. The fumble woes didn’t stop there. In the first quarter near the goal line, Sama also lost the ball on a rushing attempt. That led Kansas State to recover again deep in Cyclone territory. These turnovers loomed large as they repeatedly disrupted Iowa State’s rhythm and gave Kansas State more chances to keep them at bay.