Iowa State’s Rocco Becht Sparks Early Charge in Dublin Season Opener

DUBLIN, Ireland - In Iowa State’s Week 0 opener against Kansas State, redshirt junior quarterback Rocco Becht shined. He threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to Dominic Overby, giving the Cyclones a 7–0 lead after the first quarter. The score came with 3:32 to go in the first period. It also pushed Becht’s school record to 19 games in a row with a passing touchdown.

Just a moment earlier, Iowa State recovered a muffed punt by Kansas State. It was on the Wildcats’ 8-yard line. The Cyclones quickly turned it into a scoring opportunity. Becht led Iowa State’s offense effectively. By the end of the first quarter, he had 48 passing yards and scored the only touchdown.

Iowa State started strong, but their momentum faded in Kansas State’s territory. In the first quarter, Becht missed a pitch to running back Abu Sama III near the goal line. This mistake led to a turnover on downs, which K-State recovered. The Wildcats capitalized on the defensive stand to even the score in the second quarter.

Becht’s performance remained strong, even with the turnover. His precise fade to Overby showed he is key to the Cyclones’ offense as he begins his third season as the starter. Iowa State and Kansas State will meet again after halftime to continue their Big 12 rivalry, “Farmageddon,” on a global stage.