Cyclones Blank Northern Iowa

AMES, Iowa (AP) - Bret Meyer threw a touchdown pass in his first start, Stevie Hicks ran for 111 yards and Iowa State won for the first time in a year, beating Northern Iowa 23-0 Saturday.

Iowa State was hoping for something positive in its opener after losing the final 10 games last season and got it. The Cyclones' defense dominated the Division I-AA Panthers and the offense did just enough to give the defenders plenty of rest in the steamy Midwest heat.

It was Iowa State's first victory since a 48-20 win over Ohio on Sept. 6, 2003, and first shutout since beating Northern Iowa 41-0 in the 2001 opener.

Meyer, a redshirt freshman, settled down after overthrowing some receivers early and finished 15-of-24 for 139 yards, including a 3-yard touchdown pass to Jon Davis just before halftime.

Backup Austin Flynn threw a 23-yard TD pass to Todd Blythe and Hicks, who carried 23 times, helped keep the offense going with some tough running between the tackles. His 39-yard run set up the final touchdown, a 1-yard dive by 290-pound Tony Johnson early in the fourth quarter.

The Cyclones outgained Northern Iowa 378-99, the first time they've held an opponent below 100 yards since a 69-0 victory over Colorado State in 1980.

Iowa State coach Dan McCarney hired former Nebraska assistant Barney Cotton to revive the offense and that unit showed promise after sputtering through the 2003 season. The offense looked especially sharp when Meyer led a slick 68-yard touchdown drive in the final 2{ minutes of the first half to open a 17-0 lead.

Meyer completed seven straight passes to get the ball to the Northern Iowa 9. Then, after an incompletion, three penalties and two short gains, Meyer hit a leaping Davis in the end zone with 10 seconds left in the half.

Flynn quarterbacked one series in the first half and took the Cyclones to a touchdown in three plays. On second down at the Northern Iowa 23, Blythe started downfield, cut to the left sideline and caught Flynn's perfect spiral just over the goal line for a 10-0 lead.

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Players Mentioned

Todd Blythe

Todd Blythe

Jon Davis

Jon Davis

Austin Flynn

Austin Flynn

Bret Meyer

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