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No. 7 Texas survived another Big 12 test Saturday night, besting a resilient Iowa State team 26-16 on the road to improve to 10-1 (7-1 Big 12) ahead of next week's regular-season finale vs. Texas Tech. Bert Auburn drilled field goals of 39, 50 and 42 yards to headline a big special teams effort from the Longhorns, who were playing without injured star running back Jonathon Brooks for the first time this season.
The victory gives Texas 10 regular-season wins for the first time since 2009.
Putting away the Cyclones proved tricky. Trailing 13-3, Iowa State scored on a 14-yard connection between quarterback Rocco Becht and running back Eli Sanders with 2:13 remaining in the third quarter. But T'Vondre Sweat blocked the extra point attempt and Austin Jordan retuned it 82 yards for two Texas points to make the score 15-9. The three-point swing helped insulate the Longhorns in the fourth quarter with the Cyclones refusing to quit.
It appeared as though the Longhorns were pulling away when quarterback Quinn Ewers found tight end Gunnar Helm for a 31-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter followed by successful 2-point conversion. But Iowa State responded with a 66-yard touchdown pass from Becht to tight end Easton Dean to make it 23-16.
From there, Auburn helped cement the outcome with his final make of the night from 42 yards.
- Texas will lock up a spot in the Big 12 Championship Game if it beats Texas Tech next week.
- Freshman running back CJ Baxter totaled a career-high 117 yards for the Longhorns following a season-ending ACL injury to lead running back Jonathon Brooks last week.
- Iowa State totaled 323 yards passing but just nine yards rushing
