The ISU football team defeated the Tulsa Golden Hurricane 38-23 on Saturday, Sept. 1, in its season opener at Jack Trice Stadium.

Steele Jantz was the starting quarterback for the second year in-a-row for the season opener. A lot has changed since then. 

“In the offseason, before the game and during the game, I try to remember that the game is mental,” Jantz said. “That’s where it all starts.”

Jantz said he felt like he did a good job and he felt composed in the win against Tulsa, going 32-of-45 in passing while throwing for two touchdowns and running for another.

Jantz’s only blemish was an interception off of a tipped pass intended for tight end Kurt Hammerschmidt in the first quarter.

In last year’s season opener, Jantz threw three interceptions before rallying back to defeat in-state rival Northern Iowa.

The Cyclones saw their first points of the season after Jantz connected with wide receiver Josh Lenz on a 43-yard strike.

Shortly after, the defense saw some early struggles containing an aggressive Tulsa offense.

Three quick scores by the Golden Hurricane put the Cyclones at a 16-7 deficit by the end of the first quarter.

With 6:39 left in the first quarter, the Tulsa defense read the Cyclones’ offense perfectly. From the their own 3-yard line, Jeff Woody was forced back for a safety and gave Tulsa its first points of the game.

Just shortly after, Tulsa running back Ja’Terian Douglas busted across the goal line for another score. 

With 11:55 left in the half, Jantz led the offense to another score and brought the Cyclones within two points, with Tulsa leading 16-14.

The offense kept cruising. With 9:18 left in the half, Jantz cleared his way into the end zone and put Iowa State back on top 21-16.

Just before the half ended, Iowa State drove into field goal position, where kicker Edwin Arceo booted a 30-yard field goal to end the half 24-16. 

Arceo and true freshman kicker Cole Netter were in a deadlocked battle for the starting position all preseason. Arceo said after the game that he was told he would be the starting kicker less than a week before the season opener.

Iowa State continued its campaign and put up 24 unanswered points when running back James White busted into the end zone extending Iowa State’s lead 31-16.

Other than James White’s score, it was a fairly quiet third quarter before Durrell Givens’ interception with 2:19 remaining.

The Golden Hurricane wouldn’t completely roll over, breaking the Cyclones’ streak of unanswered points when Tulsa quarterback Cody Green lobbed a pass to the corner and put Tulsa back on the board, 31-23.

With 2:00 left in the game, running back Shontrelle Johnson powered his way through the end zone and put the game away for good.

Check back at the iowastatedaily.net for more coverage and statistics from the game.