ISU’s Flora wins Doak Walker weekly award
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AMES -- Iowa State running back Aiden Flora was named the Doak Walker National Running Back of the Week, the SMU Athletic Forum announced Tuesday.
Flora, who was also named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week on Monday, rushed for a career-high 221 yards and two scores on 29 carries Saturday in Iowa State's 51-49 win over No. 24 Oklahoma State.
His 221 rushing yards were the most by an FBS player in Week 9 and he is now responsible for the three best rushing performances in the Big 12 this season (221 vs. OSU; 212 vs. WVU; 194 vs. BGSU). Flora, who averaged 7.6 yards per carry in the game, had touchdown runs of 75 and 29 yards and now has three rushing scores of 60-plus yards this season.
The former walk-on is the only player in the country with three games of 190-plus yards rushing this season and is one of three players nationally with two games of 200-plus rushing yards and multiple rushing touchdowns this season.
Flora has recorded at least 200 scrimmage yards and multiple scrimmage touchdowns in three games this season, the first Big 12 player with that many in a season since Cam Skattebo in 2024.
The Adel native ranks in the top-10 nationally in all-purpose yards per game (7th, 142.8), rush yards per carry (4th, 7.2) and rushing yards (7th, 937).
Named after Doak Walker, a legendary figure in college football and the NFL, the Doak Walker Award presented by the PwC SMU Athletic Forum has honored the nation's top running back since 1990. Since 2022, the award has also recognized a national running back of the week. A select 20-person committee from the award's full voting body of media members and past winners chooses each weekly recipient.
Flora was one of three Cyclones honored with weekly Big 12 honors. Placekicker Kyle Konrardy was selected as the Special Teams Player of the Week, while Jamal Polite Jr. was named the Freshman of the Week.
Flora’s selection was his second Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week award this season.
Konrardy earned the special teams honor for the fifth time in his Cyclone career. He kicked the third game-winning field goal of his career, hitting from 34 yards out as time expired. His three career game-winning field goals are tied for the second-most among active FBS kickers.
The Dubuque native was 3-of-3 on field goal attempts against Oklahoma State and has now made 23-straight field goals from inside 45 yards.
Konrardy made a crucial play in the game when he recovered his own onside kick to steal a possession in the first half. He had eight touchbacks on eight kickoffs and was also 6-of-6 on PATs.
Polite broke out for a career-high 171 receiving yards and a touchdown on six receptions for his first-career 100-yard receiving game. His 171 receiving yards against OSU are the most in a game by a true freshman in school history, most by a freshman in the Big 12 this season and the third-most by a freshman in the country this season.
Polite toe-tapped a 43-yard touchdown catch in the first half and later hauled in a 33-yard reception with 49 seconds remaining in the game to put Iowa State within range for its game-winning field goal.
Iowa State is back on the road Saturday at Baylor.