AMES, Iowa (AP) — C.J. Beathard threw three touchdown passes, including the tie-breaker to Riley McCarron with 2:14 left, lifting Iowa to a 31-17 victory over Iowa State on Saturday.
Jordan Canzeri’s fumble deep in Iowa State territory had thwarted an earlier drive by the Hawkeyes (2-0). But their defense forced the Cyclones (1-1) to punt, Desmond King returned it to midfield and Beathard took the Hawkeyes to the decisive score, finding the 5-foot-9 McCarron in the back of the end zone from 25 yards out.
King’s interception gave the ball right back to Iowa and Canzeri scored on an 8-yard run to finish it off.
The victory followed an emotional week for the Hawkeyes, who are mourning the deaths, four days apart, of former football standout Tyler Sash and former basketball star Roy Marble.
