Tigers lose to Iowa State on final play
The game was the last for Iowa State coach Dan McCarney.
Published Nov. 20, 2006
AMES, Iowa - Saturday's game against Iowa State was the first MU game this season decided on the final play. Unfortunately for the Tigers, the final play, which was run twice, did not go their way.
With the Tigers facing third and goal from the Iowa State 7-yard line in the final minute, trailing 21-16, sophomore quarterback Chase Daniel ran the ball to within a yard of the end zone.
With two timeouts in his pocket, coach Gary Pinkel decided to challenge that Daniel had actually scored. The review upheld the call on the field.
This left the Tigers with a fourth and goal on the 1-yard line and 26 seconds to play. Daniel took the snap, ran to his right, and despite contact, was able to lunge the ball forward into the end zone. For a few seconds, the team and the Tiger faithful in Ames, Iowa, celebrated what they thought was a soon-to-be MU victory.
But MU lineman Monte Wyrick was flagged for holding, forcing another fourth and goal from the Cyclones' 11-yard line.
On the last play, pressure forced Daniel to run back beyond the 30-yard line. Seeing no open receivers, he tried to run for the end zone, but was ruled down at the 19 despite a last-ditch effort to fumble the ball.
Freshman wide receiver Jared Perry said that the play was intended to be a pass to tight end Chase Coffman in the back of the end zone, but with the pressure, Daniel didn't have enough time.
Iowa State didn't have to run another play before its fans rushed the field to celebrate its only Big 12 win this season.
The Tigers got off to a promising start. Daniel was 11-11 passing in the first quarter, including an eight-yard touchdown to tight end Martin Rucker. But the offense stalled after the first drive and MU only led 10-7 at halftime.
The second half was dominated by Iowa State fullback Ryan Kock. He ran for 100 of his 179 yards and two touchdowns in the third quarter to put the Cyclones ahead 21-10.
A touchdown by running back Tony Temple with 13:46 remaining, followed by an incomplete pass on the two-point conversion, put the score at 21-16. With 3:33 left to go, Iowa State kicker Bret Culbertson missed a 28-yard field goal that would have increased their lead to eight points. The next drive would be the Tigers' last, highlighted by four passes from Daniel to Tommy Saunders for a total of 51 yards before the critical play.
After the game, Pinkel declined to criticize the officiating, but said that in 30 years of coaching he had never seen a holding call so close to the end zone. Pinkel also described his feelings in general.
"I'm very, very disappointed," he said.
The mood in the other locker room was the complete opposite.
"I'm really proud of my football team and for the 23 seniors," outgoing Iowa State coach Dan McCarney said. "I really enjoyed today, one last time, and it'll probably hit me soon that I'll never be at this stadium, but it's been special and one hell of a ride."
In his final game, Kock had his career-high in rushing by far, but spoke about his coach after the game.
"We gave him everything we had because he gave us everything he had for 12 years," he said.
Multiple MU players declined to comment about the officiating, but Rucker was not so reserved.
"We won the game," he said. "It shouldn't be this way."
See a related story on Coach Pinkel's contract extension.