(BCSNN) — The "Luck of the Irish" was with the Cyclones as Rocco Becht accounted for three touchdowns and led No. 22 Iowa State to a 24–21 victory over No. 17 Kansas State in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic on Saturday, giving the Cyclones a crucial early win in the Big 12 title race. The game, played before a sold-out crowd at Aviva Stadium, marked the first-ever international opener between two ranked Big 12 teams.

Becht finished 14-of-28 for 183 yards, throwing touchdown passes to Dominic Overby and Brett Eskildsen while adding a 7-yard rushing score in the fourth quarter that gave Iowa State a 10-point cushion. His poise on a late fourth-down conversion to Carson Hansen helped seal the win and punctuated a balanced offensive effort for the Cyclones (1–0, 1–0 Big 12).

Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson rallied the Wildcats (0–1, 0–1) with two fourth-quarter touchdown passes, including a 65-yard strike to Jace Bradley and a 37-yard connection with Jayce Brown. Johnson finished 18-of-31 for 241 yards and two scores, adding 42 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground. Despite the late surge, the Wildcats fell short after a turnover on downs deep in their own territory set up Iowa State’s final scoring drive.

Cyclones running back Carson Hansen led all rushers with 71 yards on 16 carries, while Eskildsen paced ISU's receivers with 46 yards on three catches. Hansen’s physicality helped Iowa State control the tempo in the second half, and the Cyclones’ defense held Kansas State to just 7 points through three quarters.

The win gives Iowa State an early edge in the Big 12 standings and bolsters its College Football Playoff hopes after falling short in last year’s conference title game. Head coach Matt Campbell praised his team’s composure in a high-profile setting. “We came here to win and grow,” Campbell said. “This was a mature performance from a group that believes it has unfinished business.”

Kansas State will look to regroup ahead of its home opener against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Aug. 30. Head coach Chris Klieman emphasized the need to clean up execution and capitalize on early opportunities. “We didn’t play our best football until the fourth quarter,” Klieman said. “We’ll learn from this and get better.”

Iowa State returns to Ames next Saturday to host Northern Iowa. With Becht leading a confident offense and the defense showing early toughness, the Cyclones appear poised to contend once again in a wide-open Big 12.