Rocco Becht leads Iowa State over Cincinnati

Rocco Becht went 15-of-25-passing for 241 yards and two touchdowns to lead Iowa State to a 30-10 win at Cincinnati in a Big 12 contest on Saturday.

Jayden Higgins caught six passes for 172 yards to flank Becht for Iowa State (4-3, 3-1).

Emory Jones went 14-of-26 passing for 96 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions, and rushed for 72 yards on 15 carries in defeat for Cincinnati (2-4, 0-3).

Jones was replaced in the fourth quarter in favor of backup Brady Lichtenberg.

Cincinnati has lost four straight and is still looking for its first win as a member of the Big 12.

Iowa State took a 3-0 lead with 5:31 remaining in the first quarter on a 30-yard field goal by Chase Contreraz, but Cincinnati answered by taking a 7-3 lead with 42 seconds to go in the first on a 20-yard touchdown pass from Jones to Chamon Metayer.

Iowa State responded by scoring two touchdowns in the second quarter, the first coming courtesy of a 2-yard touchdown run by Becht with 7:48 left in the second quarter.

Becht then hit Benjamin Brahmer for a 14-yard touchdown pass with 3:43 remaining until halftime to finish off a 5-play, 81-yard drive and give the Cyclones a 17-7 lead.

The teams then exchanged field goals, starting when Contreraz hit a 34-yard field goal with 10:45 left in the third quarter to give Iowa State a 20-7 lead.

Following a 36-yard field goal by Carter Brown that cut Iowa State's lead to 20-10 with 4:03 to go in the third, Contreraz connected on a 30-yard field goal with 1:10 remaining in the third to make it 23-10 Cyclones.

Iowa State then took a 30-10 lead with 10:00 remaining in the game on a 13-yard touchdown pass from Becht to Stevo Klotz, which ended a 7-play, 69-yard drive.