Farmageddon II has come and gone. For the second straight season the fans that showed up to the game were treated with a last minute thriller. The games highlights will not be shown on ESPN over and over again, nor will it be discussed by the majority of college football fans, other than the fact that Iowa State and Kansas State fans could only combine to send 38,000 fans to a neutral site game. But to the few number who actually showed up to the newly remodeled Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City know that they witnessed a gem.

This game began (and ended) nearly exactly as last season’s game did. Kansas State was able to hold Iowa State, and then drove down the field almost at will. The Cyclones defense stepped up and stopped Daniel Thomas and the “wildcat” offense, and forced Kansas State to kick a thirty seven yard field goal early in the game. Josh Cherry made the kick to put the Wildcats up 3, and remains perfect this season.

Iowa State answered the impressive possession by the Wildcats, by putting together an even better drive. The Cyclones moved the ball 73 yards on 14 plays in this long six and a half minute drive scoring on a 13 yard touchdown pass from Austin Arnaud to Jake Williams, giving the Cyclones a 7-3 lead.

Every time Kansas State would seem to give up the momentum, they would answer right back. Kansas State answered back on the legs of Thomas, and surprisingly Carson Coffman. Coffman carried the ball the final 16 yards, scoring on a ten yard touchdown run to give K-State a 10-7 lead. Kansas State then had a good chance to take a commanding lead when they led an impressive drive down the field, just to be stopped again by ISU in the redzone. Cherry came out on the field, and the Wildcats tried a tick-play option. Iowa State was not fooled and they stuffed them on 4th down.

The score remained 10-7 at the half, but the momentum was on Kansas State’s side. Iowa State kicked off and William Powell had another impressive return, setting K-State up with good field possession. Thomas had another big carry to put K-State on the 50 yard line. The Wildcats were moving the ball very well, when Coffman made a major mistake, throwing an interception to Iowa State sophomore linebacker A.J. Klein who took it 69 yards to the house, giving the Cyclones a lead 14-10.

Once again the momentum was all on the Cyclones side, when out of nowhere Kansas State drove the ball all the way down the field. Thomas pounded the ball down the field, ending the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run and regaining the lead for Kansas State 17-14.

Iowa State then controlled the clock on the very next possession, and marched the ball down the field ending with a field goal, evening the game up at 17. The fourth quarter started off great again for the Cyclones as they drove the ball down the field again, ending with yet another field goal giving the Cyclones a 20-17 lead.

But once again, everytime the Cyclones would take the lead Kansas State would answer the very next drive. On the legs of Thomas, Kansas State marched down the field 83 yards, scoring on a two yard rush from Thomas. For the first time in the game the Kansas State crowd seemed to be energized. The defense tightened up, and on the next possession, on a 3rd and 10, Brandon Harold made the play of the game with a sack and forced fumble on Arnaud. The Wildcats forced the Cyclones to use the last of their timeouts, and Cherry kicked a 42-yard field goal, giving K-State a 27-20 lead with 1:38 to play.

Iowa State, with no timeouts and the whole field to go, set out to tie the game. Arnaud started the drive off by bearly missing a deep pass down field to Collin Franklin. He was then sacked by Prizell Brown setting up a 3rd and 13. Arnaud completed a five yard pass, setting up a 4th and 8. But the main play was a offsetting personal foul penalty. Snyder looked livid as it seemed to be clear that the ISU player started and finished the encounter. So on a 4th and 8 after the penalty, Arnaud connected on a long pass to Darius Reynolds, which happened to be exactly 23 yards. The very next play was another controversial call with the Wildcats being flagged for pass interference.

The Cyclones had the ball at the 40 yard line with around forty seconds left to play. K-State’s defense stepped up, and won the game for the Wildcats, getting the ball back to end the game in victory formation with Coffman taking a knee to run out the clock.

Just like last season this game went down to the very end, where K-State stepped up on defense to make a huge play to finish the game off. ISU showed that they do have potential to have a very explosive offense, as well as a young defense that might haunt the Big 12 in future years led by A.J. Klein.

Kansas State moved to 3-0 on the season, and will look to continue the winning streak against UCF next Saturday at 11:30 A.M.