SALT LAKE CITY — — Carson Hansen ran for two touchdowns, including a 3-yard run with 1:31 remaining, to lift No. 22 Iowa State to a 31-28 victory over Utah on Saturday night.

Rocco Becht threw for 256 yards and a touchdown to lead Iowa State, and Jayden Higgins followed the Cyclones with 155 yards and a touchdown on nine catches. Iowa State (9-2, 6-2 Big 12, No. 22 CFP) kept its hopes alive of reaching the Big 12 title game with a second straight win.

“That’s what you want at the end of November,” Becht said. “Meaningful games and everything to play for.”

Isaac Wilson led Utah with 74 yards on 8-of-8 passing before leaving with an injury late in the third quarter. Luke Bottari, who was fifth on the depth chart when the season started, finished the game, totaling 102 yards on offense.

Utah (4-7, 1-7) managed just 99 yards in the first three quarters before rallying in the fourth to post a close finish. The Utes have lost seven straight games and are guaranteed to finish a season below .500 for the first time since 2013.

Bottari had runs of 40 yards and 16 yards to get the Utes to Cyclone 1 to set up Micah Bernard’s go-ahead 1-yard plunge with 5:51 remaining, which was also Utah’s first offensive TD of the game.

“It doesn’t matter who’s in there, we play as one in attack and one in defense,” Bottari said. “I just told the guys, ‘Don’t budge, let’s go, keep rolling.’”

Hansen ran in from three yards out to put Iowa State ahead again, and Utes kicker Cole Becker missed from 54 yards out in the final seconds.

The win puts the Cyclones one game away from securing their first 10-win season in school history.

“Everyone counted us out two weeks ago,” Iowa State coach Matt Campbell said. “We haven’t backed down, we haven’t wavered and we just keep fighting.”

Iowa State took a 24-13 lead late in the third quarter after Becht scored on a 1-yard fourth-down plunge. Becht’s goalie interrupted a drive that started deep in Utah territory after Jack Sadowsky V recovered a Wilson fumble at Utah’s 23.

Utah cut the deficit to 24-21 when David Washington recovered a blocked punt in the end zone 19 seconds into the fourth.

Lander Barton gave Utah its first lead early in the second quarter when he stepped in front of Becht’s pass and raced 87 yards the other way.

“Great game by Lander,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said. “The entire defense executed that interception drill – which we work on every week in practice – flawlessly.”

The Cyclones answered on their next drive, scoring on Hansen’s 8-yard run to go back in front. Becht hit Higgins for a 35-yard gain on 3rd and 13 to get the Cyclones deep into Utah territory.

Utah had a crack at a touchdown before halftime after JT Greep recovered a muffed punt at the Cyclone 17. The Utes lost 12 yards in three plays on the ensuing drive, settling for a 47-yard field goal that cut the deficit to 14- 13. .

The takeaway

Iowa State: Becht surpassed 6,000 career passing yards on Iowa State’s first touchdown drive of the second half, becoming just the fifth quarterback in school history to reach that milestone. He has thrown for at least 200 yards in ten of eleven games this season.

Utah: With Barton’s second-quarter touchdown, the Utes have had a pick-6 in 21 consecutive seasons. It highlighted a tough defensive effort that kept Utah in the game.

Late game cheating

Iowa State went to the bag of tricks on its final touchdown drive. Hansen set up his go-ahead run a play earlier when he threw a 26-yard halfback pass to Gabe Burkle on 3rd and 1 at the Utah 29.

“I taught him everything he knows,” Becht joked. “When the moment came, he was able to shine and do his job and execute.”

The Cyclones had practiced the halfback pass game repeatedly, and Campbell felt this was the right time to execute it and overwhelm a stout Utah defense.

“I was stirring the pot a little bit, to be honest,” Campbell said. “We immediately had that in our back pocket and why not? Put it on the line and see what happens.”

Wilson Doubtful

Wilson went to the locker room before the start of the fourth quarter, leaving Utah at quarterback once again. Whittingham said the true freshman is questionable and Bottari could eventually start at UCF.

“I hope Isaac is doing well,” Whittingham said. “I don’t think it’s really serious. But again, we’ll reserve judgment until we get the final doctor’s results.

Three Utah quarterbacks – Cam Rising, Brandon Rose and Sam Huard – have already dealt with season-ending injuries this season.

Survey implications

A win over Utah will likely move Iowa State up a few spots in the AP Top 25 Poll.

Next

Iowa State hosts Kansas State on Saturday and Utah visits UCF on Friday.

——

Receive poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 all season long. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football