​In this installment of Soon It Will Be Saturday, we transport you back to a frigid December afternoon in Ames. The environment was unforgiving: a biting 34-degree temperature paired with a wind chill that hovered around 28 degrees, turning Jack Trice Stadium into a place where every breath hung in the air. A light, numbing mix of rain and snow drifted down, adding another layer of challenge to the already intense game-day atmosphere. The atmosphere was thick with anticipation as the Cyclones faced a tough, close contest that would come to define that season of play.
The game itself felt more like a battle against the elements than a routine victory. When the final whistle blew, the score read 27-24, a narrow win over Drake that seemed to come with more to it than just the points on the board. This wasn’t a routine win; it was a test of resilience, a frozen escape from the weather and the moment, a game-defining struggle that underscored the Cyclones’ determination and grit. Each yard gained, each play executed, carried added weight because the conditions demanded precision and perseverance from every player on the field.
On the offensive front, David Montgomery emerged as the cornerstone of the ground game, delivering a powerhouse performance with 33 carries for 145 yards and two touchdowns. His workload was immense, and his steady, bruising style helped grind out the necessary yardage to keep Drake at bay while the clock ticked down. The ground game’s success was essential in countering the chilly winds and the treacherous weather conditions, providing the balance needed to sustain drives and keep the offense moving when passes proved more unpredictable due to the elements.
Through the air, the quarterbacks faced a stiffer challenge, yet Brock Purdy and Kyle Kempt combined for 159 passing yards. Their complementary efforts offered just enough air attack to supplement the ground game, contributing crucial plays at key moments. Even in adverse weather and under the pressure of a tight game, their coordination and execution helped stretch the field when possible and keep the defensive unit honest, preventing Drake from collapsing the playbook into a one-dimensional approach.
Defensively, the Cyclones leaned on their pass rush to disrupt Drake’s plans. Spencer Benton and JaQuan Bailey each registered a sack, symbolizing the relentless effort to pressure the quarterback and force hurried decisions. The defensive line and linebacking corps stepped up in the cold, generating pivotal stops and contributing to a performance that, while not flashy, was fundamentally sound and essential to securing the win in challenging conditions. Those defensive moments—sacks, tackles for loss, and disciplined containment—demonstrated the unit’s capacity to withstand the strains of a late-season test when the stakes were high.
Beyond the numerical box score, this game captured a day where the Cyclones had to endure and persevere. The combination of the brutal weather, the tense scoreline, and the disciplined execution across both sides of the ball painted a vivid picture of resilience. The experience highlighted the team’s ability to weather the storm, literally and figuratively, as December’s chill settled over Ames. It was a day that underscored the character of the program: a willingness to grind through difficult circumstances, to lean on a strong ground game, to rely on a robust defensive effort, and to make the most of opportunities in a game that demanded every ounce of effort and focus.
For fans, players, and coaches, the takeaway from that December afternoon was clear. In a setting where nothing came easy, the Cyclones found a way to emerge with a hard-fought victory that reinforced their identity as a team capable of overcoming adversity. The 27-24 win over Drake wasn’t just about the final score; it was about the resilience, the strategic balance between run and pass, and the defensive backbone that kept the opposition at bay when the weather threatened to dictate the pace of the game. These memorable moments—Montgomery’s heavy workload, Purdy and Kempt’s efficient collaboration, and the clutch sacks by Benton and Bailey—converged to create a compelling narrative of perseverance in the face of winter’s grip. This record of that December afternoon in Ames serves as a testament to a program that knows how to endure the elements and succeed when it matters most. The images from that day capture the raw reality of football under winter skies, a portrait of a team that refused to surrender to the cold and delivered a performance that would be remembered by fans for years to come.