Iowa State used four turnovers and two blocked punts to dismantle Kent State, 48-28, on Saturday in front of a sellout crowd of 49,805.

The Cyclones are 2-0, and this week’s 20-point win against the Golden Flashes served as a measuring stick for how much better this team is from a year ago. Iowa State started last season 0-2 and lost to Kent State 23-14.

“We worked eight long months to be 2-0,” said coach Gene Chizik. “To be 2-0 in this day and age of college football, it doesn’t matter how you get there.”

Although it’s not a huge surprise that the Cyclones have won their first two games, it’s the fashion by which they’ve won them that is somewhat surprising.

Last year’s strengths — running the ball and defending the run — have looked sloppy at best this season. Last year’s weaknesses — special teams, the passing game and creating turnovers — have looked top-notch.

“We got to get our tailback running game going,” Chizik said. “I know coach Mac [McFarland] won’t be pleased tomorrow when he sees it. I’m not pleased with it now. We didn’t run the ball very well with our tailbacks tonight.”

Iowa State’s starting running back, Alexander Robinson, did not play Saturday because of a leg injury.

Without Robinson, the running game looked anemic. Jason Scales managed only 31 yards on 19 carries and J.J. Bass carried nine times for 24 yards.

After two games, the Cyclones leading rusher is quarterback Phillip Bates with 138 yards.

The Cyclones knew coming in that stopping Kent State’s Eugene Jarvis, the top returning rusher in the NCAA, would not be easy.

Jarvis slipped in and out of tackles all night on his way to 199 total yards and two touchdowns.

Last year’s defense forced 18 turnovers in 12 games. In their first two games of this year, the Cyclones have forced 10 turnovers.

“We’re getting a lot of turnovers, which is good, but we still have a lot to work on,” said junior linebacker Jesse Smith.

After fumbling three times in the opener, the Cyclones limited themselves to just one fumble against Kent State. The Cyclones were 3-3 last season when committing one turnover or fewer. They were 0-6 when committing two turnovers or more.

The passing game was supposed to go through some growing pains this season while the Cyclones broke in two new starting quarterbacks, but both Austen Arnaud and Bates looked sharp again Saturday.

“We were getting good field position, and we took advantage of it,” Arnaud said.

The two signal callers combined to go 15-of-21 for 214 yards and two touchdowns.

Chizik said the two-quarterback carousal will continue once again next week against Iowa.

The offense and defense had its ups and downs Saturday but the special teams shined against the Flashes.

The Cyclones blocked two punts and used kick returns from defensive back Leonard Johnson to consistently put Iowa State in good field position.

“The special teams did an excellent job — two blocked punts. We had guys hitting on all cylinders,” Arnaud said.

The blocked punts were the first and second since 2005.

“We spend an awful lot of time on our special teams units. The bottom line is that tonight I think it showed up,” Chizik said. “Is that a strength of our team? If they continue to play like that than I think it will be.”