DALLAS (FWAA) The Iowa State Cyclones stunned Oklahoma in Norman, 38-31, to end an 18-game losing streak against the Sooners behind a walk-on quarterback making his first career start. Kyle Kempt's performance helped end a 20-game losing streak against ranked opponents, earning the Cyclones earned the Football Writers Association of America National Team of the Week honor for games of the weekend of Oct. 7.
The announcement came on "Off Campus with Mark Packer" on ESPNU Radio on SiriusXM. Each Monday during the season, the FWAA National Team of the Week will be unveiled during the program, which airs weekdays from 4-7 p.m. ET.
Iowa State (3-2) rallied from a 14-0 deficit to get back to even at 24-24 by the end of the third quarter. Kempt, a senior who had only thrown two career passes and was Iowa State's Scout Team Offensive Player of the Year in 2016, led two key scoring drives in the second half. Following an Oklahoma fumble in the red zone, Kempt finished a season-long 94-yard drive by connecting with Marchie Murdock for a 28-yard touchdown. Later, facing third-and-long at the Oklahoma 25, Kempt made another touch throw to the corner of the end zone, where Allen Lazard made a highlight grab between two defenders for the winning points with 2:19 left.
The Cyclones outscored the No. 3 Sooners 28-7 over the last two-plus quarters. Kempt finished 18-of-24 for 343 yards and three touchdowns without an interception.
"Theres been a lot of adversity at Iowa State for a long time and there·s been a cloud around us," Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell said. "I think our kids said, 'I'm sick of it, and we·re going to keep grinding, keep swinging and getting better one day at a time.' So at the end of it, here were are."
Another key was Iowa State holding Oklahoma scoreless in the third quarter, only the second time the Sooners have been held scoreless in a quarter this season. This was Iowa States first road win over an opponent ranked in the Associated Press top five, and only its second win over a top-five foe (now 2-54-2). The 38 points were Iowa State·s second-most in the 82-game series.
This is Iowa State's fifth time to win the FWAA award and first since 2015.
The other National Team of the Week nominees for the weekend of Oct. 7 were:
Miami (4-0): Malik Rosier threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to Darrell Langham with six seconds remaining and the No. 13 Hurricanes beat Florida State 24-20 to end a seven-game losing streak in the series.
Michigan State (4-1): The Spartans forced five turnovers and held on late to upend No. 7 Michigan, 14-10, in Ann Arbor, winning for the eighth time in 10 games in the series that dates to 1898.
Navy (5-0): Zach Abey threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Carmona with 15 seconds left and the unbeaten Midshipmen defeated Air Force, 48-45, to take the lead in the race for the Commander In Chief Trophy. Navy lost a 21-point lead in the second half before the final rally.
The Football Writers Association of America has named a national team of the week since the 2002 season. Members of the 12-person FWAA All-America Committee – plus one fan vote from Twitter – decide the weekly honor.
Founded in 1941, the Football Writers Association of America consists of 1,400 men and women who cover college football.
The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key
executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas
that include game-day operations, major awards and its annual All-America team.
For more information about the FWAA and its award programs, contact Steve Richardson
at tiger@fwaa.com.