TCU-Iowa State 2025 Football Game Photos

Photos by Tom C. "Midnite" Burke

(photos above and below) After a bye on November 1 after a seven-game run, the TCU football team returned to action on Saturday, November 8, when it hosted Big 12 foe Iowa State, before an announced crowd of 44,196 in Amon G. Carter Stadium, on the TCU campus, in Fort Worth, Texas. Kickoff was at 2:30 pm (Central). FOX televised the game. TCU was nearly an eight-point favorite, but it was the Cyclones who prevailed, 20-17. The upset-loss dropped the Horned Frogs to 6-3 overall, 3-3 in the Big 12. Iowa State, which had lost four straight games coming into this game, improved to 6-4 overall and 3-4 in the Big 12. This was the 16th game played between the two teams. TCU leads the series, 9-7. However, the Frogs have lost four of their last five games against the Cyclones.

TCU head football coach Sonny Dykes talks with Iowa State head football coach Matt Campbell (left) prior to kick-off of the TCU-Iowa State football game on November 8, in TCU's Amon G. Carter Stadium.

(photos above and below) SuperFrog welcomes the TCU Horned Frogs onto the field at Amon G. Carter Stadium.

Here come the Cyclones!

(from left to right) TCU's honorary captain for the game, former TCU football player Dominic Dinunzio, who is a first lieutenant in the U. S. Army, joins TCU captains Coltin Deery (#51), Chase Curtis (#81) and Josh Hoover (#10) for the coin toss of the TCU-Iowa State game. 

(photos above and below) Against Iowa State, TCU scored in its 416 consecutive game, which is the second-longest streak in NCAA history, trailing Florida's 469 consecutive games. TCU was held scoreless in the first quarter of the game, for the fourth time in six Big 12 games this season. TCU failed to score a touchdown in the first half of a game for the first time since the Texas game on November 11, 2023. The Horned Frogs gained 432 total yards against the Cyclones: 319 yards through the air, and 113 yards on the ground, for an average of only 3.8 yards per carry. The Horned Frogs rank 15th in the Big 12 in rushing yards per game (122.8). 

(photos above and below) TCU junior quarterback Josh Hoover (#10) completed a season-high 34 passes against Iowa State for 319 yards. It was the fifth time in his career he has eclipsed 30 completions. He passed for over 300 yards for the fourth time this season, and 15th time in his career. Hoover threw one touchdown pass and was intercepted twice by the Cyclones. Hoover has thrown two interceptions in three of the past six games, all of which have been TCU losses.

(photos above and below) TCU quarterback Josh Hoover's favorite receiving targets against Iowa State were wide receivers Eric McAlister (#1), Jordan Dwyer (#7) and Joseph Manjack IV (#14), and tight end DJ Rogers (#0). McAlister and Dwyer each had 11 receptions against the Cyclones. They are the first two TCU receivers to have 10 or more receptions in the same game since Adrian Madise and LaTarence Dunbar did it against East Carolina on October 30, 2001. Hoover wore a glove on his right hand, which is his throwing hand. The hand was banged up in TCU's previous game, against West Virginia.

TCU junior wide receiver Jordan Dwyer (#7) signals a first down after making a catch against Iowa State. Against the Cyclones, Dwyer caught 11 passes for 108 yards and one touchdown. Dwyer had double-digit receptions for the first time in his TCU career. His 11 receptions tied a career high, which he set when he was playing for the University of Idaho. 

(photos top and bottom) TCU wide receiver Jordan Dwyer (#7) caught a 14-yard touchdown pass from Josh Hoover in the third quarter, despite the defensive efforts of Iowa State defensive back Quentin Taylor, Jr. (#24). With the point-after-touchdown, the Horned Frogs seized its first lead of the game, 10-6. 

(photos above and below) TCU senior wide receiver Eric McAlister (#1) caught 11 passes for 107 yards against Iowa State. he had a long reception of 19 yards. Senior tight end DJ Rogers (#0) caught three passes for 32 yards. He had a long reception of 16 yards.

(photos above and below) Against Iowa State, TCU senior wide receiver Joseph Manjack IV (#14) caught three passes for 48 yards. He had a long reception of 22 yards. 

(photos above and below) TCUC senior wide receiver Joseph Manjack IV (#14) was in position to make a touchdown catch against Iowa State, but ISU defensive back Carson Van Dinter (#36) prevented a reception by committing a pass interference penalty.

(photos above and below) TCU sophomore running back Jeremy Payne (#26) was the Frogs' leading rusher against Iowa State. He rushed for 71 yards on eight carries, with a long run of 28 yards. Unfortunately, Payne had a costly fumble deep in Iowa State territory. With 5:19 left in the game and TCU trailing 20-17, Payne fumbled and the Cyclones recovered the football at the Iowa State 12-yard line. TCU did not get the football back until only 27 seconds were left in the football game and the Frogs were unable to tie or win the game. 

(photos above and below) Against Iowa State, TCU senior running back Trent Battle (#6) ran just five times for a net three yards, but he did have a rushing touchdown of two yards. 

(photos above and below) TCU senior running back Trent Battle (#6) scored a touchdown on a two-yard run early in the fourth quarter, as TCU took a 17-6 lead over Iowa State.

(photos above and below) TCU senior running back Kevorian Barnes (#2) ran 15 times for a net 25 yards against Iowa State. He had an average-per-carry of only 1.7 yards.

TCU kicker Nate McCashland (#99) converted one-of-two field goal attempts against Iowa State. He made a 35-yard field goal (photo above) in the second quarter for TCU's only points of the first half. He missed a 25-yard field goal (photo below) with 17 second left in the first half, as the football bonked off the right upright of the goal post in the stadium's south end zone, bringing forth a symphony of groans from TCU's fans. 

TCU head football coach Sonny Dykes shows his disagreement with a call made by the officials in the November 8, Big 12 Conference football game between TCU and Iowa State, which the Cyclones led 6-3 at halftime and eventually won, 20-17.

(photos above and below) TCU's defense held Iowa State's offense to 272 total yards (161 rushing yards and 111 passing yards) and two touchdowns. The Cyclones completed only nine passes against TCU's defense, and the Horned Frogs intercepted two Iowa State passes. The Frogs' defense held a starting quarterback under 10 completions for the second time this season, and the third overall time under defensive coordinator Andy Avalos.

TCU senior linebacker Kaleb Elarms-Orr (#3) and junior safety Jamel Johnson (#2), with 12 and seven tackles, respectively, led TCU's defense against Iowa State. This was the third consecutive game for Elarms-Orr to lead the team in tackles. He also had a tackle-for-loss in the Frogs' upset loss to Iowa State.

TCU senior safety Bud Black (#21) intercepts a tipped pass in the Frogs' 20-17 loss to Iowa State, as safety Austin Jordan (#1) and cornerback Vernon Glover (#26) look on. Black had two interceptions in the game. They were his 14th and 15th career interceptions, which moved him into fourth place all-time in TCU's career record book. 

TCU senior safety Bud Black (#21) and senior linebacker Namdi Obiazor (#4) celebrate one of Black's two interceptions in the Horned Frogs' game with Iowa State. It was Black's first career two-interception game.

TCU senior defensive end Devean Deal (#11) tackles Iowa State running back Carson Hansen (#26). Against the Cyclones, Deal had five tackles, including 1.5 tackles-for-loss.

(photos above and below) TCU senior defensive end Devean Deal (#11) pressures Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht (#3). Deal was credited with one quarterback-hurry in the game. He also had a pass breakup. 

Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht (#3) is rushed by TCU junior defensive tackle Ansel Din-Mbuh (#92) and TCU sophomore defensive tackle Markis Deal (#95), who had five tackles in the game.  

(photos above and below) TCU sophomore linebacker Max Carroll (#33) pressures Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht (#3). Carroll had three tackles and a quarterback-hurry in the game.

(photos above and below) Iowa State redshirt-junior quarterback Rocco Becht (#3) had a rough time in the Cyclones' 20-17 win over TCU. Becht completed only nine-of-24 passes for 111 yards. He threw one touchdown pass and two interceptions. He was sacked once.

Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht (#3) use his feet to make his biggest play in his team's 20-17 upset victory over TCU. On a fourth-and-one play from the Iowa State 40-yard line with 1:46 remaining in the game, Becht caught the TCU defense totally off-guard and ran nine yards on a naked bootleg play for a first down, enabling the Cyclones to keep the football away from the Horned Frogs until only 27 seconds remained in the game. Becht ran four times for 22 net yards in the game. He had a long run of 23 yards.

(photos above and below) Iowa State junior running back Carson Hansen ran 28 times for 108 yards against the Horned Frogs. Hansen averaged 3.9 yards per run. He had a long run of 24 yards. He scored Iowa State's second touchdown of the game, on a one-yard run in the fourth quarter. Iowa State's offensive line earned the Big 12 Conference’s Co-Offensive Line of the Week honor for its performance against TCU. The line paved the way for Hansen's 108 rushing yards and ISU's 161 overall yards on the ground. The unit also allowed just one sack of quarterback Rocco Becht.

(photos above and below) Iowa State running back Carson Hansen scored a touchdown on a one-yard run in the fourth quarter. The touchdown was the Cyclones' second touchdown of the game and cut TCU's lead to 17-12.

(photos above and below) Iowa State running back Abu Sama (#24) only ran seven times for 30 yards against TCU.

(photos above and below) Iowa State wide receiver Chase Sowell (#0) makes a catch despite the acrobatic defensive efforts of TCU cornerback Vernon Glover (#26). 

(photos above and below) Against the Frogs, Iowa State wide receiver Chase Sowell (#0) had a team-leading four receptions for 31 yards, despite the defensive efforts of TCU cornerback Channing Canada (#7). 

(photos above and below) Despite the efforts of TCU line backer Namdi Obiazor (4), defensive end Devean Deal (#11) ad safety Jamel Johnson (#2), Iowa State tight end Benjamin Brahmer (#18) scored Iowa State's first touchdown of the game in the first quarter on a 23-yard pass from Cyclones quarterback Rocco Becht. 

Iowa State tight end Gabe Burkle (#84) signals a first down after a catch. Against the Horned Frogs, Burkle caught two passes for 22 yards.

(photos above and below) Iowa State fifth-string, redshirt-freshman walk-on running back Aiden Flora (#21) scored the game-winning touchdown for the Cyclones when he returned a punt untouched 79 yards for a score, with 6:32 remaining in the game. A two-point conversion by Iowa State sealed the Cyclones' 20-17 victory. For his heroics, Flora was named the Big Conference's Co-Special Teams Player of the Week. Flora became the second Big 12 player this season to return a punt for a touchdown. His game-winning score also marked the Cyclones’ first punt return for a touchdown since 2017.  

Iowa State's Aiden Flora (#21) celebrates his game-winning punt return with Iowa State offensive lineman Tyler Miller (#66). 

(photos above and below) Iowa State's defense, including junior linebacker Kpper Ebel (#47),  limited TCU senior running back Kevorian Barnes (#2) to 25 net yards on 15 carries, for a 1.7 per-rush average. The Cyclones limited TCU's overall rushing attack to 113 yards on 30 carries, for a 3.8 per-rush average. Ebel led ISU's defense with 11 tackles, including one tackle-for-loss. He also was credited with a forced fumble.

(photos above and below) On TCU's fourth play of the game, Iowa State defensive back Tre Bell (#7) intercepted a pass from TCU quarterback Josh Hoover that was intended for Major Everhart (#3). Additionally, Bell had five tackles, a forced fumble and a pass breakup for the Cyclones' defense.

(photos above and below) With less than three minutes left in the first quarter, Iowa State defensive back Josh Patterson (#25) intercepted a a pass from TCU quarterback Josh Hoover that was intended for Horned Frogs wide receiver Jordan Dwyer (#7). Patterson's interception was Iowa State's second of the game.

Iowa State defensive lineman Domonique Orange, who is 6-foot-4, 325 pounds, greets TCU quarterback Josh Hoover (#10). Iowa State's defense registered four quarterback-hurries, but no sacks of Hoover.

Iowa State defensive back Drew Surges (#29) prepares to tackle TCU running back Jeremy Payne (#26). Surges had eight tackles against the Frogs, including 0.5 tackles-for-loss, a fumble recovery and two pass break-ups. 

Iowa State defensive back Quentin Taylor, Jr. (#24) denies a pass reception by TCU wide receiver Jordan Dwyer (#7).

(photos above and below) Iowa State defensive back Quentin Taylor, Jr. (#24) prevents TCU wide receiver Jordan Dwyer (#7) from making a touchdown catch in the Cyclones' 20-17 victory over the Horned Frogs.

(photos above and below) With 5:19 left in the game and TCU trailing 20-17, TCU running back Jeremy Payne fumbled and Iowa State defensive back Drew Surges (#29) recovered the football at the Iowa State 12-yard line. TCU did not get the football back until only 27 seconds were left in the football game. The Frogs were unable to tie or win the game. 

Another upset loss for the Horned Frogs: Iowa State 20, TCU 17

TCU's next home game, on November 29, will be the Frogs' final regular-season game of the 2025 season. TCU will play the University of Cincinnati in Amon G. Carter Stadium, on the TCU campus, in Fort Worth, Texas. Kickoff time and broadcast information is to be announced. This will be the fifth game between the two teams. Each team has won two games. TCU has a one-game winning streak over the Bearcats. Last season, TCU defeated Cincinnati, 20-13, on November 30, in Cincinnati, Ohio.