AP PHOTO - Iowa State running back Abu Sama III (24) leaps into the end zone for a touchdown during a college football game against Arkansas State on Saturday in Jonesboro, Ark. No. 14 Iowa State 24-16.

JONESBORO, Ark. — Rocco Becht threw for 265 yards and had passing and rushing touchdowns as No. 14 Iowa State escaped with a 24-16 win over Arkansas State on Saturday.

Abu Sama III ran for a 4-yard touchdown with 8:34 left to give the Cyclones (4-0) some breathing room after the Red Wolves had closed within 17-16. Carson Hansen rushed for 116 yards on 18 carries for Iowa State, and Sama had 69 yards on nine attempts.

Jaylen Raynor threw for 222 yards and rushed for 83 for Arkansas State (1-2), which had consecutive touchdowns nullified by penalties early in the fourth quarter and had to settle for a 40-yard field goal from Clune Van Andel — his third of the game — that got the Red Wolves within one.

Arkansas State coach Butch Jones was livid about the second of the two penalties.

“The holding call was absolutely inexcusable. It took points off the board, and it had an outcome in the game. It didn’t lose us the game, but it made a major impact in the game. It was a blown call,” Jones said. “That can’t happen. It’s as outrageous as anything I’ve seen.”

Becht, who struggled in the third quarter, completed four passes for 57 yards in a drive capped by Sama’s touchdown run.

“In the moment, you trust that guy with everything you have because of who he is,” coach Matt Campbell said of his quarterback. “He just keeps proving it time after time after time.”

The Cyclones were coming off an emotional 16-13 win over rival Iowa.

The Red Wolves kept it close in the first half. Raynor’s 3-yard touchdown run gave Arkansas State a 10-9 lead with 39 seconds left in the half, the first time Iowa State had trailed this season.

The advantage lasted less than 30 seconds. Becht connected with Dominic Overby for a 27-yard touchdown, and his 2-point conversion pass to Hansen gave the Cyclones a 17-10 halftime lead. It was Becht’s 22nd straight game with a scoring pass, a program record.

“Obviously, that was a catastrophic eight-point drive,” Jones said.

Jones said he thought there was a real chance his team could win, except for a few plays.

“Winning is fragile,” he said, “A game can come down to three to four plays. You never know what three to four plays they were.”

The takeaway

Iowa State: The Cyclones won’t drop in the AP Top 25 and could move up.

Arkansas State: The Red Wolves have not defeated a ranked team since beating then-No. 25 Troy on Nov. 17, 2016. Jones is winless against ranked foes during his five seasons at Arkansas State.

Two good starts

Iowa State is 4-0 for the second consecutive season, the first time in school history the Cyclones have opened with four wins in back-to-back years.

Kicking woes

Iowa State’s Kyle Konrardy, who booted a game-winning 54-yard field goal against Iowa a week earlier, left with a possible injury after struggling in the first half. Konrardy missed an extra point and hooked a 48-yard attempt. He went 6 of 7 on field goals and made all eight extra points in the previous three games.

Up next

Iowa State has an open date before hosting Big 12 foe Arizona on Sept. 27.

Arkansas State visits Kennesaw State next Saturday.

No. 14 Iowa St. 24, Arkansas St. 16

Iowa St. 9 8 0 7 — 24

Arkansas St. 0 10 3 3 — 16

First Quarter

ISU–FG Konrardy 41, 9:04.

ISU–Becht 10 run (kick failed), 2:33.

Second Quarter

ARST–FG Van Andel 45, 13:11.

ARST–Raynor 3 run (Van Andel kick), :39.

ISU–Overby 27 pass from Becht (Hansen pass from Becht), :11.

Third Quarter

ARST–FG Van Andel 36, 9:08.

Fourth Quarter

ARST–FG Van Andel 40, 11:53.

ISU–Sama 4 run (Ch.Smith kick), 8:34.

A–22,348.

TEAM STATISTICS

ISU ARST

First downs 20 20

Total Net Yards 452 382

Rushes-yards 34-187 40-160

Passing 265 222

Comp-Att-Int 14-25-1 19-33-1

Punts 3-47.3 3-38.0

Fumbles-Lost 0-0 2-0

Penalties-Yards 3-31 10-90

Time of Possession 25:19 34:41

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

RUSHING–Iowa St., Hansen 18-116, Sama 9-69, Becht 5-4. Arkansas St., Raynor 16-83, Clay 13-51, Spencer 10-31.

PASSING–Iowa St., Becht 14-25-1-265. Arkansas St., Raynor 19-33-1-222.

RECEIVING–Iowa St., Townsend 3-92, T.Moore 2-58, Brown 2-37, C.Sowell 2-15, Overby 1-27. Arkansas St., Cobb 7-81, Bonelli 3-43, Summers 3-37, Spencer 2-21.

MISSED FIELD GOALS–Iowa St., Konrardy 48.