ARLINGTON, Texas – Well, the Big 12 Championship is done, and just like in 2020, Iowa State fell short. This game got out of hand quickly in the third quarter.

Vibes were high among Cyclones fans in the crowd early on, especially after running back Carson Hansen put the Cyclones up 7-3 in the first quarter.

However, as the game went on, everything spiraled out of control in every way possible for the Cyclones. Down 14 into the second half, but starting with the ball, there was still a light under Iowa State.

Two plays after quarterback Rocco Becht had an impressive first down run, running back Abu Sama III fumbled and Arizona State recovered it.

I was skeptical of Sama as the season wore on, and unfortunately for him, his biggest mistakes came in the biggest moments.

Two more turnovers on the two drives that followed, one of them being another fumble from Sama and the other an interception from Becht, and the game was over midway through the third quarter.

I won’t beat around it any longer; this was a sour end to what was a fun, memorable and historic season for Iowa State football. A 45-19 loss in the biggest game of the season was deflating.

The Cyclones already accomplished so much that hadn’t been done before in the program. With 10 wins, Matt Campbell broke the all-time wins record and made the Big 12 Championship in a year that actually had a full season.

I know there are many fans out there who are upset with this loss, and that’s understandable. It does beg the question of what more the Cyclones need to do–or can do–to finally reach the mountaintop of the conference.

In bowl games and Big 12 title games combined, Campbell struggles. He is 2-6 across two Big 12 Championships and six bowl game appearances.

Not to mention, the loss to Arizona State was the worst of the season for Iowa State. It was embarrassing.

It’s unfortunate given that he broke the school wins record and coached the team to its first 10-win season in school history, but those shouldn’t be overlooked. What Campbell has done for this program is incredible, he just hasn’t checked that elusive Big 12 Championship off the list quite yet.

The game itself wasn’t competitive at all after the first quarter. Iowa State fell into a bit of a hole in the second quarter and then entered the bottomless pit that was the second half.

The most points Iowa State scored in a quarter was nine, and that came in the fourth quarter when the game was already over and the Sun Devils put in their second stringers.

On paper, it softens the blow, but garbage time points aren’t all that.

This game was supposed to be the redemption game for Campbell and the Cyclones after the bitter end to the 2020 Big 12 Championship, but let’s face it, Iowa State was outplayed in every facet of the game.

Turnovers, scoring, yards, time of possession and everything in between belonged to Arizona State. The Sun Devils deserved to win this game and Iowa State didn’t show up and let a new Big 12 team walk all over itself.

Credit where credit is due, Arizona State is the Big 12 champs and will head to the playoff. Also, Cam Skattebo is a menace. He’s one of the best running backs I’ve ever seen.

I figured Skattebo would have a good game, and he did, with 170 yards on 16 carries. If he was on a team that I like to call a ‘national brand’, like Alabama or Ohio State, he would have been talked about way more and would be a for-sure Heisman finalist.

Still, there is a bowl game to be played, and looking at the opponent and who may or may not play, there is a chance Iowa State can finish the season with a win.

It was announced Sunday that Iowa State will play Miami (FL) in the Pop-Tarts Bowl in Orlando. Miami finished 10-2 in the regular season and third in the ACC.

It’s a big game and a good test for the Cyclones to finish the season with. I’m hopeful that all of the seniors decide to play in this one to commemorate what was such a big season.

I’ll finish off by saying that back-to-back losses in the Big 12 Championship and the Pop-Tarts Bowl would be a brutal way to end things. No hardware in either would be a tough pill to swallow.