Peterson: Abu Sama's 55-yard touchdown run provides momentum for Iowa State win vs. TCU

AMES – We’ve been hearing throughout the fall that if true freshman Abu Sama gets through the first line of defense, you can wave goodbye to him.

We finally saw it during Saturday’s much-needed 27-14 victory against TCU during the Jack Trice Legacy game.

Sama, who at this time last season was starring for Southeast Polk High School, took a Rocco Becht handoff. He burst through a hole opened by interior linemen Jarrod Hufford, Jim Bonifas and Brendan Black. Once he got through the hole ... see ya later.

He outran everyone for what was a 55-yard touchdown run, giving Iowa State a 17-7 lead with 10:48 left in the third quarter. Sama's run provided a big boost in the momentum factor heading into next Saturday’s game at Big 12 Conference newcomer Cincinnati.

Instant analysis: Big plays key in Iowa State football's 27-14 win over TCU

That run, Iowa State’s longest of the season, was followed by a horrible TCU punt, Becht’s fourth-down completion to tight end Easton Dean at the Horned Frogs’ 26, and Becht’s 1-yard scoring pass to Dean that resulted in a 24-7 Iowa State lead.

That’s the kind of momentum this young team needs – the kind it’s been looking for since the season-opening win against Northern Iowa.

Remember back when Iowa State special teams weren’t so special?

Well, Darien Porter blocked a punt. Ben Nikkel recovered and returned it a few yards to the Horned Frogs 11 with 44 seconds to play in the first half.

Chase Contreraz capped the possession with a 26-yard field goal, and Iowa State led 10-7 at the break.

More of the momentum factor? Absolutely. The third blocked punt of Porter’s career gave Iowa State a boost heading into the halftime locker room.

Was that an option play Iowa State ran for its first-quarter touchdown?

That’s right. Becht rolled right on second down from the TCU 4-yard line. Suddenly, he pitched to Eli Sanders, who completed the play by running into the end zone.

Option?

That play wasn’t exactly a regular occurrence during the first five games. Will it continue being part of the offense? Sanders and Abu Sama have regularly gained yards around the edges. Maybe option plays might become more of an, ahem, option for the Cyclones.

The defense played all right, if you take away a few missed tackles.

Linebacker Will McLaughlin intercepted a pass. Beau Freyler intercepted a pass. Both came during a first quarter in which TCU took advantage of missed tackles and a missed attempt at sacking Chandler Morris.

And speaking of interceptions, safety Malik Verdon picked one off late in the third quarter. Freyler intercepted a fourth pass with 3:15 left in the game. The last time Iowa State intercepted four passes in a game was 2016 against San Jose State, coach Matt Campbell's first win as the Cyclones' coach.

The defensive line is young, and at times this season it’s looked like it during the first half. There wasn’t enough consistent pressure on the quarterback – even when pressure is called for.

More: Randy Peterson's Iowa State/Big 12 predictions: Cyclones will pull off the upset in Ames

TCU rushers followed blocks that left large gashes in Iowa State’s defense. And when there was pressure on Morris, he ran around the pocket so long that Savion Williams got open in the end zone for a game-tying touchdown in the second quarter. The secondary can only defend so long before receivers run to open spots on the field.

The defense improved as the game progressed. Lineman J.R. Singleton sacked Morris on TCU’s first possession of the second half. A few plays player, Sama ran 55 yards through a huge hole carved by interior linemen for a touchdown and a 17-7 Cyclones lead.

One of the most loyal members of the Register’s Iowa State text group messaged me a suggestion about promotion of the Jack Trice story.

“Wish we could have Jack Trice story handouts in each opposing player's locker at the stadium,” the text-group member wrote. “It's called education.”

I thought about that while watching Saturday’s game. Would it be proper for the home team to tinker inside the locker of opposing players?

If that's questionable, how about this? Painting key passages of The Letter on visiting locker room walls?

It’s OK to paint a visiting locker room pink. It certainly should be all right to paint the words of a college athletics trailblazer like Jack Trice.

Talk about being all over the clock for Iowa State football starting times ...

The Cyclones will be going from Saturday night’s 7 p.m. kickoff of the TCU game at Jack Trice Stadium to the other extreme – next Saturday’s 11 a.m. boot at Cincinnati.

Which does Campbell prefer?

“Either 11 or 7. I can go either way,” he said. “It’s the middle that’s just painful for the coaches and the team.

“If it’s early, you can prepare for it. If it’s late, you can prepare for it. But it’s the middle (starting times) that sometimes get goofy.”

That surprised me. I thought he’d prefer a 1 p.m. starting time instead of spending a bulk of Saturday in the team hotel.

What’s he do after team meetings are concluded?

“You watch college football,” the coach said. “You watch other people sweat it out. At least that’s what I do.”

Since 2016, Iowa State had records of 36-31 in games that started before 5 p.m., and 10-16 in night games.

Iowa State columnist Randy Peterson is in his 51st year writing sports for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at rpeterson@dmreg.com, on X @RandyPete, and at DesMoinesRegister.com/CyclonesTexts

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Cyclones top Texas Christian in the Jack Trice Legacy game