Iowa State freshman QB Richardson provides spark - KTIV News 4 Sioux City IA: News, Weather and Sports

Iowa State spent nearly all season rotating two quarterbacks. The Cyclones finally gave option number-3 a chance last weekend and third-stringer Sam Richardson responded with a brilliant night at Kansas.

Now, ISU will see if he can sustain the success.

The redshirt freshman completed 23 of 27 passes for 250 yards and four touchdowns as Iowa State beat Kansas 51-23.

Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads won't say whether Steele Jantz or Richardson will start the regular-season finale Friday against West Virginia, but he did say Richardson has the edge.

Rhoads has also been asked why Richardson hasn't played sooner.

"He obviously hasn't given us that kind of performance in practice or we probably would have given him an opportunity," said Rhoads. "I'm sure glad he did it Saturday night. It gives you a glimpse of what he's capable of under the lights."

"Going out there and performing like I did, by no means do I think I played perfectly, obviously there's always room for improvement, but it was a good feeling to be out there and play the way that I did," said Richardson.

Iowa State, 6-5, and West Virginia, who's 5-5 with five straight losses, play at 2:30 Friday on national TV.