Morton, however, responded to the fits and starts with a flurry of completions: to Kelly for 8 yards across midfield on fourth-and-7, to Kelly on the sideline for 13 – a play that was up for review – to a sliding Caleb Douglas for 8 and to Jordan Brown for 13. Morton’s lobbed touch up the middle for Brown put the Red Raiders inside the 1-yard line with 34 seconds left.

The third false start penalty of the drive cut it to the 6. After Cyclones safety Malik Verdon broke up a pass into the end zone, Tech offensive coordinator Zach Kittley put the Red Raiders in a tricky formation. Two tight ends, Morton and Kelly were deployed in a four-man pod on the left side, but Brooks took a direct charge and swept right and into the end zone behind a sustained block from tight end Jalin Conyers.

“It was like an outside zone on the right side,” Brooks said. “He put it in my hands and at that point just go to the end zone. I knew that moment was going to be special, especially my man Jalin Conyers blocking the rim. I know if we can seal that around the rim, that’s a landing.”

Brooks also carried 16 and 14 yards on the drive, jamming a defender on the first of the two to get the drive moving. He finished with 122 yards on 25 attempts, topping 100 yards in every game this season and rushing for at least 95 yards in each of his past 19 games.