As the Iowa State-Iowa game fast approaches, ISU fans are remembering some of the past victories against the Hawkeyes.

One victory they are most likely to remember is from 2002, when Seneca Wallace led Iowa State back from a 24-7 halftime deficit to beat Iowa 36-31 in Iowa City. The dynamic quarterback, who is now a backup for the Cleveland Browns, will forever be remembered by fans and foes alike.

“[Seneca was a] gamer,” said former roommate and ISU tight end Mike Banks. “At the end of the day, when it’s on the line, some guys fold and some guys rise up. [He] always rose up and would always give you [his] best.”

That description, a common one used to describe Wallace, has been floated around recently about current Cyclone quarterback Steele Jantz. Assistant coach Tom Herman — who admitted he didn’t know a whole lot about Wallace — described Jantz, whom he obviously knows quite a bit about, much like Banks did Wallace.

“The kid’s a winner,” Herman said of Jantz. “He’s very unflappable. I think he’s got the same demeanor whether he throws three picks or three touchdowns. He’s gonna be the same guy every play, and I think the team feeds on that.”

Aside from having the so-called “clutch gene,” Jantz and Wallace have a similar style of play. Both are quick on their feet, as evidenced by Wallace’s now iconic run against Texas Tech, known simply as “The Run.” Jantz showed what he could do on his feet against Northern Iowa last Saturday, rushing for 80 yards on 20 carries, two for touchdowns.

“There may be something in the water in California,” Banks said, referring to the fact that both Jantz and Wallace are from the state. “[They’ve] got to be a playmaker. We always would say at Iowa State, when I was there, that big-time players make big-time plays in big-time games.”

Those “big-time plays” came for Jantz on a few occasions against Northern Iowa. His fourth-down, desperation heave to Josh Lenz temporarily gave the Cyclones a 13-7 lead late in the fourth quarter. He then drove his team down the field and punched in the final go-ahead score on his feet.

Wallace guided the Cyclones to bowl games in both of his seasons as the ISU quarterback, and led the Cyclones to many close victories aside from the comeback in 2002 over Iowa. Another former Wallace teammate and current follower of ISU football agreed that the two are similar quarterbacks.

“The thing that I drew from [the game against Northern Iowa] is [Jantz’s] ability in the fourth quarter — when things are on the line and stuff does not look good — to set that aside no matter what had happened, elevate his game and win no matter [the] cost,” said former ISU center Zach Butler. “And I think Seneca had that same mentality. Seneca put [the 24-7 deficit to Iowa] aside and came out … and executed his game plan flawlessly.

“I think Steele Jantz has those qualities.”