AMES – Iowa State defeated UNI in the 2023 season opener on Saturday afternoon at Jack Trice Stadium, 30-9.
The Panthers would make strides offensively in the second half, but would be unable to overcome a difficult first half performance.
Iowa State struck first on UNI’s opening possession with an 58-yard interception return for a touchdown on the game’s fifth play from scrimmage, giving the Cyclones a quick 7-0 lead. The Panthers would force an ISU punt on its first offensive possession before the Cyclones scored their second touchdown of the day on a fourth-and-goal quarterback run from the one-yard line.
The Cyclones would find the endzone a third time in the half on a 14-yard pass from Rocco Becht to Tyler Moore in the final minute of the second quarter with an unsuccessful PAT kick. ISU would tack on a 56-yard field goal on the final play of the half to take a 23-0 lead into the halftime break
After ISU scored a 36-yard touchdown from Becht to Benjamin Brahmer, the Panthers cracked the scoreboard as Matthew Cook drilled a 31-yard field goal through the uprights. The UNI offense began to find rhythm on both the ground and through air as Tye Edwards and Harrison Bey-Buie each found open space out in front. Panther quarterback Theo Day also found consistency after a tough first half, connecting with Bey-Buie and receiver Sam Schnee on a pair of 15+ yard passes.
A 36-yard reception by newcomer Jaiden Ellis-Lahey and an 11-yard reception by tight end Layne Pryor set up the first UNI touchdown of the season with a three-yard catch from Desmond Hutson.
With an improved offensive performance in the second stanza, the Panthers finished with 279 total yards on the day, including 173 yards from the air. Day completed the day with 16 competitions for 164 passing yards and one score, as Edwards led the game with 72 rushing yards on 16 carries in his UNI debut.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
Iowa State leads the all-time series record 25-6-3 after Saturday’s game.
Punter Noah Pettinger recorded a career-long 54-yard punt in Saturday’s game.
Newcomer Broderick Calhoun led UNI with seven total tackles, while Corey Thomas Jr. and Jahsiah Galvan each notched six tackles.
Desmon Hutson recorded his sixth career touchdown in the fourth quarter. He had five in 2022.
UP NEXT
The Panthers host No. 10/13 Weber State next Saturday for their home opener in the UNI-Dome. The Wildcats are coming off a 35-10 victory over Central Washington. The game can be watched live on the Panther Sports Network, with the live radio call available on the Panther Sports Radio Network.
IOWA STATE POSTGAME NOTES
TEAM NOTES
*Attendance: 58,248
*Today’s game was the 300th all-time at Jack Trice Stadium
*Kickoff temperature of 89 degrees is the third highest in Jack Trice Stadium history.
*Iowa State holds a 25-6-3 lead in the all-time series, having won four-straight in the series.
*Iowa State is 5-3 in season openers under Matt Campbell, including a 4-1 record against UNI.
*The Cyclones have won three-straight season openers.
*The Cyclone defense has held 16-straight teams to under 400 yards of total offense, the second-longest streak in the country. *Iowa State has won 15-straight games when leading at halftime and is 36-5 all-time under Campbell.
*Campbell is now 47-42 as Cyclone head coach and 82-57 overall as a head coach.
*Campbell has the second-most wins in school history behind Dan McCarney’s 56.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
Tyler Perkins
*First quarter punt of 70 yards was the longest of his career and the longest for Iowa State since Kirby Van Der Kamp in 2010. *Career-high eight punt attempts
*Had a career-high average of 53.6 yards per punt, topping his average of 48.2 against Baylor last season.
*His four punts over 50 yards were the most he has had in a game.
Jeremiah Cooper
*First quarter pick six was the first interception of his career and Iowa State’s first interception for a touchdown since Jake Hummel in 2021. *First Iowa State defender with two interceptions in a game since Marcel Spears against Texas Tech in 2018.
*First Cyclone with two takeaways since O’Rien Vance in the 2020 Fiesta Bowl.
*His first quarter pick six was the 14th non-offensive score against Northern Iowa in school history.
Rocco Becht
*First quarter rushing touchdown was his first touchdown as a Cyclone.
*First quarterback with two passing touchdowns and a rushing touchdown in first career start since Sage Rosenfels against Indiana State in 1999.
Chase Contreraz
*His 56-yard field goal to end the first half was a career long and the fifth-longest in Cyclone history.
*First Cyclone to boot a 50+-yard field goal since Andrew Mevis at UNLV in 2021.
*First 55+-yard field goal by a Cyclone at Jack Trice Stadium since Grant Mahoney (57-yards) against Nebraska in 2010. *Second 50+-yard field goal against Northern Iowa in school history (Jeff Shudak – 55 yards – 1988).
Jaylin Noel
*Surpassed 100 career receptions, matching Otto Stowe (1968-70) for the third-fastest (25 games) to 100 receptions in school history. *Has a reception in 21-straight games, the 10th longest streak in the nation and tied for the ninth longest streak in school history.
Gerry Vaughn
*Played in his team-high 53rd career game and made his 19th career start.
POSTGAME QUOTES
Iowa State Head Coach Matt Campbell
On the Season Opener:
“I just thought we played good team football. There’s a rhythm of how we have to play to be successful and there’s a good chunk of the game we were able to do that. I thought we played to our strengths on special teams, defensively, obviously, created some turnovers and then on offense, and we had the opportunity to get plays. We did a great job taking care of the ball. UNI is a really good opponent, physical team, really good quarterback, veteran defense this year. So, I think for us to kind of get a great evaluation of where we are and certainly we’re just starting to grow forward. It was really good stuff, but I loved the rhythm of the game.”
On Rocco Becht:
“Great poise. I think he made a couple of great throws, maybe a hair off on a couple other ones. I just thought great efficiency. He used his legs when he had the opportunity to but was really cramping up in the second half. So, you would love to see him in full strength in the second half.”
On the Quarterbacks:
“Rocco and JJ, I thought both of those guys went in, they executed the game plan that gave us great opportunity to have success. I think they’ll just keep growing. What a huge day for them to be able to get out there in this environment.”
On the Jeremiah Cooper’s Pick 6:
“We talked about trying to get off to a good start, you know, it’s always hard. We always want to get off to a great start. For us, in a game like this with such a young team and to have a guy stand up and make a big play and you know, they’ve gotten a couple of first downs and they’re driving down the field and I think the one thing that was really fun today that probably I haven’t seen in a long time here is our ability to stack our responses. Something bad happened, and I think Jeremiah’s play we just got done saying to get the ball passed the 5o yard line and what’s going to happen here, boom we make a big play, and a guy makes a big play even at the end of the half, we go to kick the extra point, it’s kind of goofy but whatever happens we’ll have to look at it. Coop makes another great play and then we kick the field goal. So now that long snapper has to go back out, the kicker’s got to go back out, you got to execute. Those were some of the real positives for me to see but I thought that play set the tone, especially from our standpoint as things we’ve talked about and the games and getting momentum. You got to continue to respond, you got to play the next play, that was awesome.”
Northern Iowa Head Coach Mark Farley
On the Season Opener:
“It was more of a scrum than a battle. They did a nice job, but it was the interception for a touchdown coming out of the gate. I mean, we delivered the first blow, we were in position to do that. The first couple plays went our way and then the interception for a touchdown took the wind out of that. Then the punt return on the short field gave them another burst of energy. Then you go to the interception right before halftime that puts you in the hole going into half. So, I’d say those three things were probably the three things that stood out that made the game more than was in the end.”
On the Panther Offense:
“I thought we were lethargic on offense the whole first half. I wasn’t pleased with any part. Even though there were times you could say we’re moving the ball or whatever, but not like we should be able to. And credit them, maybe they were better than I thought they were by what happened when you look at the numbers on the board as far as rushing and passing. There’s not much out there that happened today, except for turnovers and mistakes that created big plays. The one kid that’s good is that corner for them on the punt returns. I mean, he locked down that gunner and that’s what got those things started. Tampa is a good player.”
On His Team’s Intensity and Energy:
“The third and fourth quarter should have been more like the whole football game in my opinion. I think there should have been a lot more energy even during the third quarter, looked like it was practice, and it was maybe because of the heat. I mean, the heat does play a factor and it takes a zap out of you, but I think you’ve got to play with more energy, more intensity, more, whatever that word is that we all know when we see it and that’s what was lacking. And thus, the speed of play wasn’t what it should have been to win a game like that.”
