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AMES - Aiden Flora was tabbed the Maxwell National Player of the Week, the Maxwell Football Club announced Wednesday. It is yet another weekly honor in the wake of Flora's stand-out performance against West Virginia last weekend.
On Tuesday, the Cyclone was named the Walter Camp National Offensive Player of the Week, Paul Hornung Award National Player of the Week and Burlsworth Trophy Walk-On of the Week. Flora was already named the AP National Player of the Week and Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week on Monday.
Flora had the best game of his career last Saturday, accounting for five touchdowns and 212 rushing yards in a 45-42 Cyclone win over the Mountaineers. His five touchdowns accounted for are the most nationally by any running back in a game this season.
The redshirt-sophomore rushed for 212 yards and three touchdowns and threw for a pair of touchdowns to become the ninth FBS player, and first Big 12 player, since 1996 with two passing touchdowns, three rushing touchdowns and 200 yards rushing in a game. He is the first non-quarterback to do so.
Flora is responsible for the two best rushing performances in the Big 12 this season (212 vs. WVU, 194 vs. BGSU) and is one of two FBS players with two games of 190-plus yards rushing this season. His 212 rush yards against the Mountaineers are the sixth-most in a game by an FBS player this season.
Flora's 63-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter was the longest of his career. He now has three rushing touchdowns of 40-plus yards this season (63, 61, 42) and is responsible for five scoring plays of 40-plus yards (46-yard TD pass, 66-yard punt return).
The Adel native relived his high school quarterback glory days as he threw for 48 yards and two touchdowns to become just the second running back in Big 12 history with two touchdown passes in a game (Rex Burkhead, Nebraska, 2010). Flora's 46-yard touchdown pass to Cody Jackson was the first TD pass by a Cyclone running back since 2009 and the first by an ISU non-QB since 2021. He later connected with his high school teammate, Vince Benetti, for a 2-yard touchdown pass.
Flora averaged 9.6 yards per rush against the Mountaineers and is averaging 8.1 yards per carry on the season, the third-best mark nationally and best in the Big 12. Flora has 594 rushing yards on the season, which ranks seventh nationally and second in the Big 12.