SAN ANTONIO — It only takes one point to win.
No. 13 Washington State, which never trailed, hung on for a 28-26 victory over No. 24 Iowa State before a crowd of 60,675 in the 26th Alamo Bowl on Friday night at the Alamodome.
The crowd is the largest since 2005 for an Alamo Bowl with a matchup of two out-of-state teams. The Nebraska-Michigan game drew 62,016.
The victory capped a historic season for WSU, which finished 11-2 and set a program record for most wins in a year.
"I think the most impressive thing this group did was they improved every single week," Cougars coach Mike Leach said. "I think that player-wise and coaching-wise, we didn't have any selfish people that were thinking about their own agenda. And if we did, then they were overshadowed by those that thought about the team first.
"Iowa State is a great team. There are few teams I've played that I have more respect for than Iowa State. I thought they did a great job, but I'm really proud of this team and how we were able to grow this year."
WSU senior quarterback Gardner Minshew was voted the game's Offensive MVP after completing 35 of 49 passes for 299 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for another score.
Cougars senior linebacker Peyton Pelluer, who finished with 11 tackles and one sack, was named Defensive MVP, and Iowa State linebacker Marcel Spears received the Fred Jacoby Sportsmanship Award.
The Cougars are now 2-0 in the Alamo Bowl. The hadn't played in the game since beating Baylor 10-3 in the 1994.
Minshew and Pelluer were asked about the legacy the seniors on this year's team are leaving.
"One thing I've always been told is to leave a place better than you found it, and I felt like myself and these seniors have definitely done everything that we could to create these great work patterns, these winning mentalities that hopefully these guys can carry on," Minshew said. "
ISU finished 8-5 after playing in its first Alamo Bowl.
Cyclones junior wide receiver Hakeem Butler was spectacular in defeat, finishing with nine receptions for 192 yards.
Butler, who played high school football at Fort Bend Travis near Houston, came close to the Alamo Bowl record for most yards receiving. Jermaine Kearse of Washington set the standard in the Huskies' 67-56 loss to Baylor in 2011.
ISU outgained the Cougars by a mile in total offensive yardage, 515-327, but was done in by two interceptions and a lost fumble.The Cyclones finished with 200 yards rushing and 315 passing. WSU gained only 28 yards on the ground and had 299 passing.
ISU quarterback Brock Purdy scored on a 1-yard run with 4:02 left to cut WSU's lead to 28-26 with 4:02 left. Lined up for the two-point conversion, the Cyclones were whistled for a false start. Purdy completed a swing pass to running back David Montgomery on the two-point conversion, but Montgomery was stopped short of the end zone by Willie Taylor III.
Purdy completed 18 of 27 passes for 315 yards, but was intercepted twice and didn't throw a touchdown pass. Montgomery finished with 124 yards and one TD on 26 carries.
Clinging to a 21-20 lead going into the fourth quarter, WSU gave itself a little breathing room with a 10-yard TD run by Max Borghi with 10:24 left. Blake Mazz's extra-point kick put the Cougars up 28-20.
ISU had a chance to take the lead before Borghi's TD, but Connor Assalley's 49-yard field goal attempt hit the right upright, leaving WSU clinging to a 21-20 lead with 13:15 remaining.
ISU's Assalley kicked a 23-yard field goal to cut the Cougars' lead to 21-20 with 1:04 remaining in the third quarter. The kick ended a 14-play, 74-yard drive that took 6:36 off the clock.
ISU appeared to be on the verge of reaching the end zone, but another false-start penalty on third-and-2 at the WSU 6 moved the Cyclones back to the 11. Assalley was sent into the game after ISU gained five yards on third-and-7.
Trailing 21-10 at the half, ISU made it a one-score game on an 8-yard run by David Montgomery with 12:11 left in the third quarter. The seven-play, 73-yard drive took 2:29 off the clock and came on the opening possession of the third quarter. Assalley's extra-point kick cut the Cyclones' deficit to 21-17.
The first half ended with Assalley kicking a 50-yard field goal that cut WSU's lead to 21-10 at the half. Assalley's kick ended a five-play, 42-yard drive that took only 62 seconds.
The Cyclones' scoring drive started on the possession following the Cougars' third TD of the half, a 9-yard pass from Gardner Minshew to Dezmon Patmon with 1:02 remaining. Mazza converted his third extra-point kick of the half.
Minshew carried WSU in the first half, completing 20 of 25 passes for 166 yards and two TDs and running for another score.
Down 14-0, ISU cut its deficit in half on a 9-yard run by quarterback Brock Purdy's 9-yard run and extra-point kick by Assalley. The four-play, 69-yard drive began on the possession following the Cougars' second TD and consumed only 1:42.
The Cougars took a 14-0 lead in the second quarter on Minshew's 7-yard run with 6:08 left in the half. The score capped a 13-play, 88-yard drive that took 5:55 off the clock.
WSU cornerback Marcus Strong set up the first score of the game with a 66-yard interception return to the Cyclones' 5. Strong was assessed an unsportsmanlike penalty for taunting, moving the ball back to the 20.
Three plays later, Minshew connected with wide receiver Renard Bell for a 22-yard scoring strike on third-and-12. Mazz converted his first of three extra-point kicks in the first half to give the Cougars a 7-0 lead with 6:55 left in the first quarter.
Purdy completed 9 of 13 passes for 144 yards but was intercepted twice. Butler had a big first half, catching five passes for 124 yards.
