AMES, Iowa – Iowa State opened the game with a snappy 11-play touchdown drive and keep rolling from there on the way to a 43-10 victory over Ohio University on Saturday at MidAmerican Energy Field at Jack Trice Stadium.
In a final tune-up before the start of Big 12 Conference play, the Cyclones relied on the passing of redshirt sophomore Hunter Dekkers and some big plays from the defense to achieve their first 3-0 start since 2012.
Dekkers continued his sharp play in his first season as the starter, completing 28 of 36 passes for 268 yards, no interceptions and touchdown throws of 12 yards to DeShawn Hanika, 15 yards to Sean Shaw and 13 yards to Xavier Hutchinson. He also ran for a touchdown.
For the season, Dekkers has thrown for eight TDs and 745 yards while completing 74.3 percent of his passes.
Hutchinson also is off to a big start in his final season. He finished with nine receptions for 93 yards and his touchdown to move up on Iowa State's career charts in all three categories.
The two-time all-Big 12 selection passed former teammate Charlie Kolar for fourth place with 175 career receptions, one behind third-place Todd Blythe. He jumped from eighth to sixth in receiving yards (2,077) and joined a tie for eighth with his 14th career touchdown catch and fifth of the season
On the defensive side, Anthony Johnson Jr. and Colby Reeder set up touchdowns with interceptions, MJ Anderson's fumble recovery after O'Rien Vance's sack set up a Jace Gilbert field goal and Hunter Zenzen's recovery following a Joey Petersen sack led to a second Gilbert field goal.
In all, the Cyclones compiled 463 yards while holding the Bobcats to 233. It's the 14th time in the last 20 games that ISU has reached 400 yards and the 22nd time since 2017 the Cyclones have held an opponent to fewer than 300. The Bobcats managed just 24 yards rushing, the fewest ISU has allowed since holding Kansas State to 12 yards in 2005.
Jirehl Brock added to the offense with 76 yards in seven carries, including a career-best 61-yard jaunt. Deon Silas added a career-high 58 yards in 10 carries.
Iowa State began the game with a 69-yard march that Dekkers finished with a 6-yard run, darting untouched into the end zone through a huge hole on the left side.
Dekkers had completions of 16 yards to Shawn Shaw and 18 yards to Hutchinson to set up his TD pass to Hanika for a 14-0 lead. Two plays later, Anderson scooped up the ball after Vance jarred it loose and took it to the Ohio 9. The Cyclones stalled and settled for Gilbert's 19-yard field goal on the first snap of the second quarter for a 17-0 lead.
The Cyclones got the ball back on the very next play when Johnson leaped to pick off a pass at midfield. It was his first career interception and came in his 44th consecutive start.
Silas reeled off 24 yards on a nifty cutback to take the ball to the Ohio 5 and he scored from the 3 two plays later to make it 24-0
Ohio drew to 24-3 with a field goal, which the Cyclones answered with a 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive. Dekkers capped it with a 15-yard connection to Shaw, who was upended at the 1 and soared into the end zone to make it 30-3 at halftime.
Reeder's interception – his second in as many games – and 53-yard return to the Ohio 13 set up Dekkers' scoring pass to Hutchinson on a quick slant, stretching the lead to 37-3. After Ohio got its only touchdown on Kurtis' Rourke's 1-yard pass to Tyler Foster, Zenzen's recovery put the Cyclones in position for a 21-yard field goal by Gilbert, who finished with scoring with a 39-yarder with 1:29 remaining.
Iowa State opens Big 12 play next Saturday at home against Baylor at 11 a.m.
