Aiden Flora ran for 216 yards and three touchdowns — all of them before the first quarter ended — as Iowa State routed Cincinnati 41-13 at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday, keeping the Cyclones' bowl hopes alive in coach Jimmy Rogers' first season. Flora needed only 10 carries to pile up 125 yards and all three scores in the opening 15 minutes, finishing with 28 carries for 216 yards as Iowa State racked up 551 total yards and scored 31 unanswered points.

Key Points

• Iowa State beat Cincinnati 41-13 on Saturday, November 14, 2026, at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, scoring 31 unanswered points in its fourth 500-yard game this season.
• Aiden Flora ran 28 times for 216 yards and Iowa State's first three touchdowns, with 10 carries for 125 yards and all three scores in the first quarter alone.
• Flora also caught two passes for 19 yards and completed a 37-yard pass on a direct snap to tight end Vince Benetti, and is 4-for-4 passing for 85 yards this season.
• Cincinnati's Cole Tabb ran for 165 yards, including a 66-yard burst on the game's second play that set up the first touchdown, but the Bearcats went just 2-of-10 on third down and 1-of-5 on fourth down.
• Iowa State improved to 5-5 (3-4 Big 12) and 5-1 at home; Cincinnati fell to 5-5 (2-5) with its sixth straight road loss.

What Happened

Cincinnati struck first: on the game's second play, Cole Tabb broke a 66-yard run that set up the Bearcats' first touchdown. Then Flora took over, and the game was effectively decided before the first quarter was out.

Flora's touchdown runs came from 11, 77 and 5 yards and put the Cyclones ahead 21-7. The most inventive was set up by Flora himself: a direct snap, then a flip to tight end Vince Benetti for a 37-yard gain on the play before his third touchdown.

From there the Cyclones never looked back, scoring 31 unanswered points and piling up 551 total yards. Cincinnati finished with 401 yards but could not stay on the field, converting just 2 of 10 third downs and 1 of 5 fourth downs after entering the game ranked 21st nationally on third down.

Background and Context

Flora's afternoon was remarkable, but not out of character: his third 200-yard rushing game of the season, with at least 180 yards in five games. The former walk-on averages 206.3 yards over his last three games and 133.5 for the season, and is one of four players in the nation averaging better than seven yards per scrimmage touch. He joined BYU's LJ Martin as the only players to rush for three touchdowns in a first quarter this season.

The wider story is how far this Iowa State team has come. Picked last in the Big 12 in the preseason, the Cyclones are one win from bowl eligibility in Rogers' first season, with two games left. At 5-1 at home, Jack Trice Stadium has become the foundation of the season — and Saturday was its most emphatic afternoon yet.

Aiden Flora Runs Wild: 216 Yards and Three Touchdowns

The numbers only tell part of it. Flora's 77-yard touchdown run was the longest play of the afternoon, and his 125 first-quarter yards came on just 10 carries. He finished with 216 yards on 28 carries, plus two catches for 19 yards and a completed pass for 37 — a reminder that Iowa State now uses him as a passer as well as a runner.

He is now 4-for-4 passing for 85 yards this season. The trust is earned: Flora has gone over 200 yards three times, has at least 180 in five games, and averages 206.3 yards across his last three outings. Few backs in college football carry a heavier load, and fewer still produce at this rate.

Reactions and Quotes

Iowa State coach Jimmy Rogers praised the work behind the numbers. "I know everything he's done to this point is pretty awesome, as far as the amount of touches he has and what he has per play is unbelievable," Rogers said. "It goes back to finding different ways to get him the ball, to utilize his strength and, honestly, him really believing in himself and working really hard to get this kind of result."

Flora, as usual, credited the blocking around him. "He's doing what he needs to do, and the blocking is outstanding," Flora said. "It's pretty easy to run for 200 when 150 of them are free grass."

Cincinnati coach Scott Satterfield was blunt about what his defence had faced. "I think he's easily the best back in the Big 12 arguably, Flora, which we knew coming in," Satterfield said. "You know he's going to get his touches and you have to try to stop him." On the Bearcats' failures on money downs, he added: "We've got to be able to keep up and we couldn't do it on third and fourth down. It's the worst we've been all year. We didn't give our offense a chance, or our team a chance."

Why It Matters

At 5-5, Iowa State needs one more victory from its final two games to reach bowl eligibility — a remarkable return for a team picked last in the Big 12, and a first-year statement for Rogers. The Cyclones' 5-1 home record has carried the season.

For Cincinnati, the defeat deepened a late-season slide: three losses in a row, six straight on the road, and now 12 straight November games since 2023. The Bearcats still need one win for bowl eligibility for a second year in a row, but the margin for error is gone. Related coverage: No. 3 Alabama Beats Vanderbilt 21-6 as Keelon Russell Throws Three Touchdowns.

What Happens Next

Iowa State visits UCF on Friday, with a chance to secure bowl eligibility with a game to spare, completing the turnaround from a last-place preseason pick to a postseason team in Rogers' first season. Cincinnati hosts Colorado on Saturday, needing a win to keep its own bowl hopes alive and end a November losing run stretching back to 2023. Also read: LSU Stuns No. 14 Gonzaga 81-80 as Donovan Dent Hits Last-Second Three.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the final score of Iowa State vs Cincinnati?
Iowa State beat Cincinnati 41-13 on Saturday, November 14, 2026, at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, scoring 31 unanswered points.

How many yards did Aiden Flora run for?
Flora ran 28 times for 216 yards and three touchdowns, with 125 yards and all three scores in the first quarter alone. He also caught two passes for 19 yards and completed a 37-yard pass.

What records did Flora reach in the game?
It was his third 200-yard game of the season, and he joined BYU's LJ Martin as the only players to rush for three touchdowns in a first quarter this season.

What does the result mean for bowl eligibility?
Both teams are 5-5, so each needs one win from its final two games to reach six wins and bowl eligibility.

Who do Iowa State and Cincinnati play next?
Iowa State visits UCF on Friday, while Cincinnati hosts Colorado on Saturday.