Takeaways from Iowa State football's win vs. West Virginia | Hines

AMES – Keeping up with Iowa State and West Virginia throughout a wild second half was likely to leave you as dizzy as getting caught up in the middle of a Clonenado.

When it was over, though, the Cyclones were standing on top.

Iowa State blew a 14-point lead, regained the lead in the final 2 minutes and got the game-winning turnover in the final minute to claim the first Big 12 win of coach Jimmy Rogers’ inaugural campaign, a 45-42 victory over the Mountaineers.

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Running back Aiden Flora had a monumental day for the Cyclones, rushing 22 times for 212 yards and three touchdowns while throwing two passes for 48 yards and two touchdowns.

West Virginia (3-2, 0-2) scored on four straight second-half possessions to turn what looked to be a potential Iowa State rout into a close game.

The Cyclones, though, continued to match the Mountaineers until a forced and recovered fumble on the last West Virginia drive turned the ball and the game over to the Cyclones.

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Flora has gone from a nice story to being a real weapon – and maybe one of the more dynamic players in the Big 12 (and beyond?).

Once a walk-on and buried on the depth chart, the ADM product has emerged this season not only as a great punt returner, but a huge offensive catalyst.

Flora long ago established himself as the Cyclones’ top running back, but with another strong day on the ground plus two throwing touchdowns for the former high school quarterback, he now looks like a guy you have to game plan around as a defense.

Major credit for Flora being able to execute the passes, but coordinator Tyler Roehl deserves a hat tip for calling an antidote to the crowded boxes Iowa State was seeing. Defenses are now going to have to account for Flora The Passer, which won’t allow linebackers or safeties to crash down with abandon the instant the running back touches the ball.

For a big chunk of the game, Iowa State quarterback Jaylen Raynor looked to be answering critics with efficient, accurate and smart football. He wasn’t perfect, but his completion percentage hovered in the upper-60s and low-70s, he used his feet well and avoided mistakes.

Then, though, things got a lot tougher in the second half.

The Cyclones looked poised to perhaps land a knockout blow in the third quarter after a West Virginia turnover near midfield, but Raynor then threw an interception that led to the Mountaineer touchdown that flipped the momentum of the game.

Instead of going up three scores, Iowa State saw its two-touchdown lead evaporate in 7 minutes.

That’s obviously not all on Raynor (the defense shoulders the biggest blame), but the QB position demands the most. Taking a few yards on that play and a field goal maybe puts the game away.

Instead, it was a brawl until the final minutes.

Overall, though, Raynor showed improvement, and a perfect game shouldn’t be the bar, anyway.

Going 19 of 27 for 264 yards, a score and one pick is a significant positive step, even if it wasn’t always smooth.

So much of what we think Iowa State can achieve this year is based on the idea (assumption?) that the Cyclones’ defense is going to be consistently strong.

Well, over the last two games, that hypothesis is being tested.

After major issues tackling against Utah last week, the Cyclones struggled again to bottle up an offense with tackling being suboptimal again.

West Virginia tallied 518 yards of total offense.

The Mountaineers have a dynamic and difficult offense, no doubt, but that’s exactly the type of offense that Iowa State defense needs to at least slow. Because the Mountaineers’ defense is bad, and I wouldn’t count on this Cyclone offense being able to consistently flirt with 40 points.

If the Cyclone defense can’t lead the way, getting to where Iowa State wants to go is going to be a whole heck of a lot more difficult.

Still, after giving up touchdowns on four-straight drives, Iowa State’s defense came up with the final stop to seal the game. That counts for more than just a little something.

Iowa State columnist Travis Hines has covered the Cyclones for the Des Moines Register and Ames Tribune since 2012. Contact him at thines@amestrib.com or (515) 284-8000. Follow him on X at @TravisHines21.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Takeaways from Iowa State football’s win vs. West Virginia | Hines