AMES, Iowa (AP) — For Iowa State, it felt like yet another inexplicable loss to Kansas State might be inevitable.

Then a fumble flipped in the air and fell right into Mike Rose’s hands, and the Cyclones’ bad luck against the Wildcats seemed to wash away.

David Montgomery ran for three touchdowns, including the winner with 4:34 to go, and 25th-ranked Iowa State rallied from 17 down in the fourth quarter to stun Kansas State 42-38 and snap a 10-game skid against the Wildcats on Saturday night.

Montgomery had 149 yards rushing for the Cyclones (7-4, 6-3 Big 12), who clinched their best-ever finish in the Big 12.

Down 38-21, Iowa State scored twice in just 1:44 early in the fourth — on Brock Purdy’s short TD pass and a 21-yard fumble return by Rose after Willie Harvey forced it — to pull to 38-35.

The made a stop, and Montgomery’s 18-yard touchdown run gave Iowa State an improbable lead.

“This team has never disappointed me,” Iowa State coach Matt Campbell said. “We’re not flashy. We’re not pretty. But you better not count us out.”

Kansas State’s (5-7, 3-6) fate was sealed when a long pass to Dalton Schoen deep in Iowa State territory glanced off his fingertips with 1:20 left.

The Wildcats took control by going 92 yards on eight plays after picking off Purdy, opening up a 31-21 lead on Skylar Thompson’s 9-yard TD pass to Chabastin Taylor late in the third. K-State’s Kevion McGee then intercepted Purdy again, and Isaiah Zuber’s second TD grab of the game made it 38-21 early in the fourth.

Purdy redeemed himself down the stretch though, finishing with 337 yards passing and two touchdowns in what Campbell said was his best game yet.

Thompson threw three touchdown passes and ran for a score, and Alex Barnes rushed for 184 yards and a TD for the Wildcats. Barnes rushed for at least 100 yards in his last four games, the longest such streak for a Wildcat since Darren Sproles had a five-game streak in 2003.

“I’ve never lost a ballgame that way. I’ll have to dissect it,” Kansas State coach Bill Snyder said. “I can’t tell you what my feelings are right now.”