Unlike last season’s triple-overtime upset, the fans of the ISU football team did not storm the field at Kinnick Stadium following the 9-6 win against Iowa last Saturday.

Differences in the venue aside, the more business-like demeanor of the Cyclones (2-0) following the win was still that of an enjoyment of a win that, at that point, was not as much of an upset compared to last season’s.

“It was probably tempered a little bit by the fact that we know we can play better,” said ISU coach Paul Rhoads at his weekly news conference on Monday. “Believe me, they were thrilled with the victory.”

Linebacker Jake Knott, who nabbed the game-winning interception of last Saturday’s Cy-Hawk game, said senior leadership on the team has been the biggest factor that has made things different this year from last.

“It’s something that we’ve had pretty much in past years, but not quite fully,” Knott said of senior leadership. “This year, I think, our team’s extremely comfortable, but we’re never content.

“We’re comfortable in the situations that we’re in, but we know how to get out of them.”

For a team that has posted upsets against Nebraska, Texas and previously second-ranked Oklahoma State, the win against Iowa on Saturday was not seen as the pinnacle of the season with tougher opponents riddled throughout the upcoming schedule.

“We set no ceilings for ourselves,” said nose tackle Jake McDonough. “The sky’s the limit for us; it just depends on how we come in to each game mentally prepared, physically prepared. We’ve got to know our opponent in-and-out.”

McDonough said the team’s physical preparation compared to last year has made one of the biggest differences in its success so far this season.

“[Strength coach] Yancy McKnight has us all playing to the best of our abilities right now,” McDonough said. “You can see it all across the board — we’re playing great football compared to how we used to play.”

But as far as how good Rhoads thinks his team can be, he gave a pretty straightforward answer.

“I’m trying to figure it out,” Rhoads said. “I told them last week after the game: ‘Let’s not put a ceiling on what that is, let’s figure it out and continue to improve every day we step on the field, whether it be for practice or a game.'”

Knott plays down award, cites team effort

Knott was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week for the second time in his career following his game-winning interception against Iowa last Saturday.

“It’s awesome to be able to get that recognition, but at the same time I feel like it was a team defensive award,” Knott said. “I felt like we played great the whole game, and it’s hard to recognize just one player for that.”

The senior linebacker previously won the award in September 2010 after recording 11 tackles and an interception in a 27-0 victory against Northern Iowa.

As for the interception, Rhoads said it still resonates as legendary to him.

“Just watched it two minutes before I walked up here again as I was watching the defensive tape for a second time; it’s a big-time play,” Rhoads said.

“They’d gone to his side a couple plays in a row, so he’s chasing and pushing guys out of bounds and probably looking bad in the process. … And then to come back in a tempo that’s moving [quickly], to see it and then adjust and go up vertically like he did after 59 minutes of football and about 80 snaps, it was a big-time play.”