However, the momentum didn't last long for Iowa State, and on second and goal at the Wildcasts' 1-yard line, a botched toss from quarterback Rocco Becht to Abu Sama resulted in a fumble, which Kansas State recovered.

No. 22 Iowa State survived a late comeback from No. 17 Kansas State to win a 24-21 slugfest and capture the first victory of the 2025 season at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland. The Cyclones converted on a critical fourth-and-3 to win a third straight game against Kansas State.

The college football season opener features two ranked teams with playoff aspirations as the Wildcats and Cyclones face off at Aviva Stadium, streaming on ESPN at 12 p.m. ET.