Iowa State Cyclones' quarterback Rocco Becht (3) and running back Carson Hansen (26) celebrate after winning 16-13 over Iowa in the Cy-Hawk football at Jack Trice Stadium on Sept. 6, 2025, in Ames, Iowa Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Iowa State Cyclones' Offense Justly Receives Mediocre Grade in Week 3 Victory

Originally posted on Iowa State Cyclones on SI
By Nick Ziegler | Last updated Sep 17, 2025 5:00 PM ET

After what was a stressful victory for the Iowa State Cyclones in Week 3, the team will fortunately be getting some needed rest in Week 4 on their bye. While the schedule did them no favors, the performance against the Arkansas State Red Wolves left a lot to be desired.

While it was fair to expect the Cyclones not to be at 100 percent after playing the three previous weeks, which included a trip to Ireland, an eight-point victory was a massive disappointment. In the first half, the Red Wolves were actually able to have a lead just before halftime, and this was a one-point game in the fourth quarter as well.

As expected with the score being so close, it wasn’t the best performance for the offense, defense, and special teams. The team struggled to get off the field at times, and some of the play-calling on offense was a bit questionable. Eugene Rapay of the Des Moines Register recently graded the three units for the Cyclones against the Red Wolves and gave the offense a grade of a ‘C’ for their performance.

Iowa State Receives a Fair Grade

Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The grade of a ‘C’ is certainly fair for the offense in this one, with the unit having some bright moments, but also some shortcomings. The highlight for the team was that they finally got their running game going.

Carson Hansen and Abu Sama III came into the campaign as a duo that was expected to be a talented one-two punch. Before the game against Arkansas State, they had some bright spots but certainly weren't living up to expectations.

Hansen led the way with 116 rushing yards, and Sama totaled 69 rushing yards with a touchdown. Getting the running game going will be key going forward, with some tough opponents coming up in conference play.

In the passing attack, Rocco Becht played solidly and made some big plays when the team needed him to. However, despite throwing for 265 yards, he did throw his first interception, which wasn't really his fault.

With Becht having a solid game through the air, it was Xavier Townsend who was able to have his breakout performance for the team. The wide receiver totaled three receptions and 92 receiving yards, including a 44-yard catch.

It certainly wasn't the best performance for the Cyclones, but it was good enough to get the win. Receiving the mediocre grade is very fair, and the unit will have to be better in the weeks to come against better opponents.