The first weekend of the yearly Cy-Hawk series, Iowa State went 1-1. But the win and loss couldn’t have been further apart.

The volleyball team, led by coach Christy Johnson-Lynch, did their job, winning in straight sets (25-15, 25-12, 25-14) and in dominant fashion.

It was their first road game since the season-opening tournament in Omaha, and the team managed to do something they hadn’t since 2006.

They held Iowa to a negative hitting percentage, -.049, the entire match.

The Cyclones (7-1) won their seventh straight game Friday night, and are continuing to show the volleyball world they will be a force to be reckoned with throughout the season.

Now they enter Big 12 play and seem ready to take on all comers.

But, as dominant as the volleyball team was, that was how ineffective the football team was.

The No. 9 Hawkeyes looked bigger, faster and stronger pretty much the entire game.

Iowa dominated the clock early, wearing down the Cyclone defense. In the first half alone, Iowa outgained Iowa State 288-85.

When the Cyclones did have the ball, they either went three and out, or had a turnover.

Austen Arnaud, who threw four interceptions in last year’s matchup with Iowa, vowed to be more accurate and make less mistakes this year.

However, for whatever reason, whether it was rust from being on the sideline so much or the fact Iowa has one of the best defenses in the country, Arnaud wasn’t accurate or mistake-free.

He threw three interceptions and looked much like himself from last year when he seemed unsure and out of sync throwing the football.

The running game, which was the only offensive positive in last year’s rout, was non-existent as well. Alexander Robinson managed just 48 yards on 11 carries on the ground, while his Hawkeye counterpart Adam Robinson ran for 156 yards on 14 carries.

And when things seemed like they were at a low point, ABC television cameras showed Leonard Johnson and David Sims arguing over a missed assignment that resulted in a big gain through the air for Iowa.

I could go on and on with stats showing how superior Iowa was in the game, but at some point you have to stop putting salt on an open wound.

The only positive of the game was the Cyclones managed to find the end zone for the first time in nearly 18 quarters.

Coach Paul Rhoads, his staff and his players know how badly they played; they know they were outmatched. And while it might be difficult, they have to find some way to learn from what happened Saturday in Iowa City.

The Cy-Hawk Trophy awarded to the winner of the football game will reside in Iowa City for yet another year. But with the help of the ISU volleyball team, the annual Cy-Hawk series still has a chance to be won by Iowa State.

As much as it wanted to help that cause, the football team has more to worry about during the course of the rest of its difficult schedule.

They have to find a rhythm on offense and find an identity on defense. Until the Cyclones do that, losses like Saturday’s will keep happening.