Quarterback Jeff Sims rushed for a career-best 228 yards and accounted for three touchdowns to lead Arizona State to a 24-19 victory over Iowa State on Saturday afternoon in Big 12 play at Ames, Iowa.
Sims started in place of injured Sam Leavitt and ripped off an 88-yard scoring run as part of his stellar performance. He added another rushing score and one passing touchdown while completing 13 of 24 passes for 177 yards and one interception.
Chamon Metayer caught a touchdown pass for the Sun Devils (6-3, 4-2 Big 12), who prevailed in the rematch of last season’s conference championship game, which was also won by Arizona State.
Rocco Becht completed 18 of 36 passes for 186 yards and one touchdown for Iowa State (5-4, 2-4), which has dropped four straight games. Becht also rushed for a score.
Cyclones tight end Benjamin Brahmer was carted off the field with 8:50 left in the contest after taking a hard hit from Sun Devils cornerback Keith Abney II. He was taken to Mary Greeley Medical Center in Ames for evaluation. Brahmer caught a touchdown pass in the second quarter.
Leavitt will soon undergo season-ending foot surgery. Arizona State was also without star receiver Jordyn Tyson (hamstring).
The Sun Devils were back up at their own 12-yard line in the third quarter when Sims caught the handoff in shotgun formation and headed forward. He shot through a huge hole and sped 88 yards to give Arizona State a 24-16 advantage with 7:47 left in the third quarter.
Iowa State pulled within five on a 35-yard field goal by Kyle Konrardy with one second left in the quarter.
The Cyclones had one final chance, but on fourth-and-6 with 19 seconds left, Chase Sowell caught Becht’s throw and fell to the ground at the Arizona State 20, one yard shy of the first down.
Sims ran for one score and passed for another as the Sun Devils led 17-16 at halftime.
Becht scored on a 7-yard run to give Iowa State a 10-3 lead with 12:45 left in the second quarter.
Just over two minutes later, Sims scored from the 8 to knot the score. He later tossed an 18-yard touchdown pass to Metayer to give the Sun Devils a 17-10 lead with 4:55 remaining in the half.
The Cyclones pulled within one on Becht’s 17-yard scoring pass to Brahmer with 1:01 left. A high snap sabotaged the point-after attempt.
