Wallace Propels Cyclones Past Troy State, 42-12

AMES, Iowa (AP) - Troy State thought maybe it could catch Iowa State looking ahead to Nebraska. The Trojans quickly learned they had the Cyclones' full attention.

No. 21 Iowa State scored off a blocked punt less than 3 minutes into the game, and Seneca Wallace passed for three touchdowns and ran for another as the Cyclones rolled past Troy State 42-12 Saturday.

Playing as a ranked team for the first time in 21 years, Iowa State (4-1) dominated a team that had given Nebraska trouble three weeks ago, with Todd Miller topping off the victory with his second punt return of the season for a touchdown.

So, Troy State coach Larry Blakeney. Nebraska visits Iowa State next Saturday. Any thoughts on that game?

"It's hard to compare them," said Blakeney, whose team outgained Nebraska in a 31-16 loss. "They're different offensively totally. I think that gives Iowa State a chance to beat Nebraska.

"I don't think they're very good at throwing, and I think Iowa State's coaches know that. They can beat Nebraska."

For now, Iowa State is happy beating Troy State (1-3), which caught the Cyclones at what could have been an opportune time - right after beating Iowa and right before playing Nebraska.

Iowa State looked flat at times in the first half, but then Wallace would do something to get the Cyclones going.

Often throwing on the run, Wallace completed 17 of 25 passes for 295 yards with no interceptions. He scored on a 1-yard run and had touchdown passes of 54 yards to Lane Danielsen and 20 and 4 yards to Lance Young.

"We were chasing him around all night," Troy State defensive end Osi Umenyiora said. "He is so frustrating to play against. We think we have him, then he goes off."

A key play was Wallace's touchdown pass to Danielsen, which came with 30 seconds left in the half and made it 21-6. Derrick Ansley gambled and failed trying for an interception, and Danielsen, who caught the ball at the 38, had a clear path down the right sideline.

Troy State had cut the lead to 14-6 on Thomas Olmsted's 42-yard field goal with 2:02 left in the half. The kick followed a six-minute drive in which the Trojans used a no-huddle offense to move the ball down the field with short, quick passes.

But the Trojans managed only one other sustained drive, and Iowa State pulled away with the help of Miller's 45-yard punt return in the fourth quarter. Troy State had 118 yards rushing after running for 464 yards against Southern Utah a week ago.

"It was one of our goals this week to shut down their rushing game," Iowa State defensive lineman Jordan Carstens said. "They had some success the past couple of weeks and we wanted to stop that."

Miller scored on a 60-yard return against Tennessee Tech on Sept. 7 and became the first Iowa State player to run back two punts for touchdowns in a season since 1992, when James McMillion did it three times.

Iowa State had a 7-0 lead before Wallace even stepped on the field. The Cyclones forced a punt on the first series and JaMaine Billups streaked through to block Olmsted's kick. Andy Kohler picked the ball up and sprinted 22 yards for a touchdown.

"I saw it blocked and it rolled right over to me," Kohler said. "I ran up, grabbed it and did what I could. That's what we're taught on blocks, try to scoop up the ball and run."

Wallace set up his second-quarter touchdown run with a 17-yard pass to Jack Whitver, and the right-hander made two outstanding throws while rolling to his left to set up second-half touchdowns.

Wallace hit Young in full stride for a 43-yard gain in the third quarter. Three plays later, Young outjumped Heyward Skipper in the end zone to catch a 20-yard touchdown pass from Wallace.

On Iowa State's next series, Wallace rolled left and hit Whitver for a 39-yard gain to the Troy State 40. That drive ended with Wallace lofting a soft pass to Young on a 4-yard touchdown play.

"You don't make calls in the huddle for Seneca to throw to Jack, but you read the defense and you throw," Iowa State coach Dan McCarney said. "Any time you have a receiver that can make plays like we have, and we have three of them, that's a great bunch of kids."

Troy State's Hansell Bearden was 17-of-35 for 195 yards and scored the Trojans' only touchdown on a 1-yard sneak. Iowa State managed only 68 yards rushing, but Troy State had no answer for Wallace.

"The triggerman is the difference," Blakeney said. "They can talk about all those folks they want to talk about in the country, but this guy right here is a football player. He's a great quarterback, he can make it happen and if things go bad, he has speed. They all can't do that."

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Players Mentioned

JaMaine Billups

JaMaine Billups

Jordan Carstens

Jordan Carstens

Lane Danielsen

Lane Danielsen

Andy Kohler

Andy Kohler

Todd Miller

Todd Miller

Seneca Wallace

Seneca Wallace

Jack Whitver

Jack Whitver

Lance Young

Lance Young

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