Iowa State 21, Memphis 20. Allen Lazard puts Iowa State ahead with a remarkable 5-yard TD catch in the third quarter of the Liberty Bowl.

TENN.» Iowa State’s MEMPHIS, football team proved its seasonlong bid to raise its standards was more than just a slogan.

Allen Lazard tied a Liberty Bowl record with 10 catches and put Iowa State ahead with a remarkable 5-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter Saturday as the Cyclones beat No. 19 Memphis 21-20 on the Tigers’ home field.

Iowa State (8-5) posted its first bowl victory since a 2009 Insight Bowl triumph, and the Cyclones notched a third win over a top-25 team this season. That’s the step forward Iowa State had in mind when it boldly made “Raise the Standard” its team motto.

“The thing that finally resonates in our program is that this can happen, not only with our players but the people outside of our program, that success and winning football games at Ames, Iowa, can really happen,” Iowa State coach Matt Campbell said.

Iowa State pulled ahead 21-17 with 4:28 left in the third quarter when Kyle Kempt’s pass appeared to get deflected just before Lazard caught it in the back of the end zone.

The touchdown came after a roughing-the-passer penalty on Genard Avery wiped out an interception by Memphis’ Curtis Akins and gave the Cyclones first-andgoal.

Lazard had 142 yards receiving in his final college game and was named the Liberty Bowl’s most valuable player.

Memphis had the benefit of playing a bowl game on its home field — where it hadn’t lost all season — although enough Iowa State fans traveled to the game to make the sellout crowd of 57,266 a pretty even split.