Andrew Zow's late touchdown won it for 'Bama. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        SHREVEPORT, La. — Four years without a bowl win might not seem so bad to Iowa State. To Alabama, it was an eternity.

        The Crimson Tide (7-5) ended that drought thanks to a blocked punt, Andrew Zow's late touchdown and Iowa State's field-goal troubles in Thursday night's 14-13 Independence Bowl win.

        “The win was something big for the seniors, and hopefully we'll cherish that,” Zow said. “It's very important for this program and these seniors. It was something special for Alabama because we haven't had a bowl victory in so long.”

        The Cyclones (7-5), in back-to-back bowl games for the first time in 23 years, no longer take losing for granted.

        “If you accept losing, then you're probably a loser, anyway,” coach Dan McCarney said. “It hurts a lot.

        “Nobody's going to take away what we did this season. Slowly but surely, we've garnered a lot of respect for our program. We're building a program we can be proud of.”

        The Cyclones missed two fourth-quarter field goals, three overall, and had a blocked punt that set up Alabama's winning score.

        The final miss was Tony Yelk's 47-yarder that floated inches to the right with 38 seconds left.

        “I thought it was good,” McCarney said. “The guy who has the best seat in the house said it was no good, so I have to trust his judgment.”

        Zow lofted a 27-yard scoring toss to Terry Jones Jr. with 4:44 left, two plays after Waine Bacon blocked Yelk's punt.

        “Thank God, Terry Jones had long fingernails,” Alabama coach Dennis Franchione said. “It seemed like that ball was in the air for about 10 minutes.”

        Iowa State drove into field-goal range in the final minute. Yelk and his teammates began celebrating as his kick headed for the uprights, thinking the kick was going through.

        Alabama picked up its fourth straight victory despite a sputtering offense and Iowa State quarterback Seneca Wallace's 284 yards passing.

        “I don't know if we could have won a game like this at the beginning of the season, where we had to fight hard and it comes down to one play at the end,” Franchione said.

        It was the Tide's record 29th bowl win, but the first since a 17-14 victory over Michigan in the 1997 Outback Bowl.

        The game turned when Shontua Ray recovered the ball following Bacon's block.

        “I swam away from my blocker, and the punter was right there in my face,” Bacon said. “I just put my hands up and blocked the ball.”

        Zow was 11-of-19 for 119 yards with an interception, and he rushed for an 8-yard score in the first half.

        “Offensively, we would make a play and then back up and make a play then back up,” Franchione said. “We never got into any kind of rhythm.”

        Wallace was 25-of-42 and constantly put the Cyclones in scoring range to earn offensive MVP honors.

        Yelk hit a 36-yarder and a 41-yarder, but missed from 25 in the first half and from 40 and 47 yards in the fourth quarter.

        Iowa State, which outgained Alabama 456-269, took over from its own 9 after the Tide's final score. Wallace converted a 26-yard pass on second-and-25 to Jack Whitver and hit Lane Danielson on a 14-yarder on fourth down.

        Two incompletions and a delay of game halted the drive.

        Iowa State's Ennis Haywood ran for 135 yards on 20 carries against a defense that allowed opponents just 48 yards on their last 59 rushes. Ahmaad Galloway led Alabama with 90 yards on 16 carries.

        The Cyclones opened the game with Wallace's 39-yard pass to Craig Campbell to Alabama's 27, but settled for Yelk's 36-yard field goal.

        Iowa State made it 10-0 with Joe Woodley's 1-yard score, set up by Danielson's 33-yard reverse.

        Alabama then drove 80 yards on 10 plays, capped when Zow faked an option pitch and danced untouched into the end zone.

        The Cyclones had first-and-goal from the 10 late in the half, but wound up letting Yelk try a 25-yard kick that went wide right.

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