Iowa State quarterback Brock Purdy good to go for season finale after rough Oklahoma game

AMES — Brock Purdy was sacked seven times in Iowa State’s game against Oklahoma on Saturday, including a couple of hard hits that temporarily forced the Cyclones’ starting quarterback out of the game.

In the final minute of the first quarter, Oklahoma’s Perrion Winfrey leveled Purdy, who stayed in the game until about the five-minute mark of the second quarter despite the hard hit. There were no lingering hard feelings about Winfrey or the hit on Monday.

“It was a clean hit,” Purdy said. “It was honestly my fault for going back in the field and putting my body out there. It’s football, it’s part of the game.”

Purdy said he’s taken worse hits and, while Winfrey’s hit may have taken him to the ground fast, it wasn’t terrible in terms of feeling pain. He returned in the second half of Saturday’s game, and there are no indications that Purdy won’t start senior day against TCU (5-6, 3-5 Big 12) on Friday.

Senior sendoff

Matt Campbell’s program boasts several standout seniors and fifth-year players, including Purdy, Charlie Kolar, Chase Allen and Mike Rose. Most of Iowa State’s starters are players who elevated Cyclones football to what it is now, and those athletes will play their last college game on Friday.

More: Peterson: Rory Walling's final, emotional time leading Iowa State football into Jack Trice Stadium

Campbell appreciates what those players have done for Iowa State’s program, even when a season like this one doesn’t turn out the way they’d hoped.

“This group has never wavered,” Campbell said. “They’ve never flinched. They just keep playing and they keep showing the youth of our program what it’s meant to play here and what it looks like to play here. I’m forever indebted, forever grateful for what these guys have done.”

Iowa State football injury update

Purdy wasn’t the only Iowa State player who was beat up by Oklahoma. But ahead of TCU, it looks like Campbell is confident that most of his starting lineup is healthy.

One question mark is O’Rien Vance. He didn’t play in Saturday’s game against Oklahoma – with redshirt junior Gerry Vaughn getting the starting nod instead.

“I think everybody will be available other than, I think O’Rien probably is the one that’s questionable right now,” Campbell said. “That guy’s been aware and fought through it, and I think just continuing to evaluate where he may be for Saturday. But I think everybody else is certainly available and that’s a positive for us.”

Players and 'the process'

Campbell caught some slack this past weekend for comments made during last week’s Tuesday availability. He further explained what he meant about Iowa State’s process and said that he’s not naive in knowing they play football to win.

More: Peterson: Charlie Kolar poured his heart out for Iowa State. During the game and after.

“Can you keep getting better?” Campbell said. “Can you keep, when it doesn’t go your way or it does go your way, can you keep playing at a level of excellence that you have the ability to play at? I think this group … has said, maybe we haven’t gotten the outcome, (but) why and how do we go back and do everything in our power to try and fix those things.”

Regular-season finale against TCU

Iowa State’s final game of the season will be against TCU at Jack Trice Stadium. While the Horned Frogs don't have a winning record, Iowa State has been lackluster against mediocre teams this season.

TCU quarterback Max Duggan is fourth in the Big 12 in passing, with 1,854 yards and 14 touchdowns through nine games. Quentin Johnston has 634 yards and six receiving touchdowns on 33 carries, and TCU has two other receivers in Taye Barber and Derius Davis.

Campbell described TCU as consistent, “tough” and “physical” with elite athleticism.

Alyssa Hertel is a college sports recruiting reporter for the Des Moines Register. Contact Alyssa at ahertel@dmreg.com or on Twitter @AlyssaHertel.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: What Brock Purdy, Matt Campbell said ahead of TCU regular season finale