Iowa State football freshman Jamal Polite embraces breakout game

AMES – After Iowa State football coach Jimmy Rogers reminded his players of the opportunity they signed up for all throughout the week – to lean into the challenge of starting a new chapter of Cyclone football and embrace playing in the Big 12 – the Cyclones got a moment many of them dreamed of and one they'll never forget.

>Kicker Kyle Konrardy blasted a 34-yard kick through the uprights for the game-winning field goal as time expired in a back-and-forth 51-49 thriller over Oklahoma State at Jack Trice Stadium on Oct. 31.

>Iowa State fans hopped over the wall and swarmed in from all directions for a Halloween field-storming to celebrate an upset of the AP top 25-ranked Cowboys.

>"It was an experience I never thought I'd be able to feel," wide receiver Jamal Polite Jr. of the celebratory pandemonium. "Like making it this level was obviously a blessing for me and then for us to go out there and get a game-winner like that on a walk-off field goal, it just felt amazing."

>Polite was an impact player in the victory. He had a 33-yard reception on the final drive that helped set up Konrardy's game-winner, putting the Cyclones well into field goal range for the standout kicker.

>It was one of many important catches for the 5-foot-11 receiver out of Beaufort, South Carolina, who finished with a game-high 171 yards and a touchdown on six receptions.

>While the true freshman never envisioned this moment for himself, there was one man who foretold it long ago.

>Uncle "Cook." Polite didn't share his full name, only the name he had long referred him to since Polite was four years old.

>"He'd definitely be more than proud, like he would be so excited to know that I'm doing what I'm doing, especially since this is what we asked for," Polite said. "He told me that I'd make it here, told me to get him a ticket and all these things and then he passed away in his sleep."

>Uncle "Cook" was responsible for first introducing Polite to football. At the time, Polite was a curious athlete and a young soccer player on a team coached by his mother.

>Thanks to his uncle, Polite found his true passion on the gridiron and he hardly looked back from there.

>Unfortunately, Uncle "Cook" died on May 5, 2025 before he got to see Polite ever suit up for the Cyclones and sign his letter of intent to play Division I college football.

>"Me and him used to race all the time, we used to play catch all the time, this picture right here we were at the field working on some stuff," said Polite, pointing to a photo on a necklace that he wears daily to commemorate him. "This is when I was a sophomore, but every day I miss him.

>"... He's the guy who got me into football and he had passed when I got my first offer, and I forever honor his name, pray for him and pray that he continue to watch over me."

>Polite treated Cyclone fans and his uncle to a breakout performance on Saturday night. His 171 receiving yards are the most by a Big 12 freshman this season.

>He more than doubled his season-long production, after entering the Oklahoma State game with just eight receptions for 115 yards and a touchdown.

>"He just keeps growing," Rogers said of Polite. "... He's an extremely hard worker, comes from a great family and we're really proud of him. He believed in us and coming here, I think he's made such an impact on our football team. Not just as a guy that stood up in this game, but a guy that has earned his reps and got into the rotation because he's one of the best players in this offense and he came up critical tonight in a lot of huge, huge plays."

>Polite had his big performance while matched up often against Oklahoma State's LaDanian Fields, who leads the Big 12 with five interceptions.

>"Just the coverages they play gave (receivers) opportunities or gave (Polite) opportunities to be one-on-one outside and obviously we were able to attack that," said quarterback Jaylen Raynor.

>Polite worked his way into the rotation since the start of the season and has played 40-plus snaps in each game since Big 12 play started.

>With injuries mounting up for the Cyclones, expect the Cyclones to look more to the true freshman after his performance on Saturday night. Polite had a game-high 11 targets and he doesn't plan on being a one-hit wonder.

>"I'll say it's the coaches believing in me throughout this way, knowing that I'm going to come out of my shell eventually and be able to make multiple plays," Polite said. "Like not just making one play a week and now coming out of my shell and showing everybody what I'm capable of, it feels great.

>"It was really (the coaches) telling me like we need you to be the guy, be the answer for some of these plays and with them telling me that, I know it lets me know they trust me completely and I just wanted to be that answer for them tonight and I showed up."

>Eugene Rapay covers Iowa State athletics for the Des Moines Register. Contact Eugene at erapay@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @erapay5.

>This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa State football freshman Jamal Polite embraces breakout game