The second game of his first season – it seems so long ago.

Coming into the 2004 rivalry matchup against Iowa, ISU quarterback Bret Meyer was still in a battle with once-starter Austin Flynn.

By the end, Meyer was trusted with the ball in front of a crowd of more than 70,000 with one final drive trailing by seven.

The then-freshman quarterback was initially hit on a fourth-and-three by former Hawkeye and current Green Bay Packer Abdul Hodge and stopped by Tyler Luebke after a one-yard gain on the Iowa 33.

“I remember I was excited for it. I think it was my first road game, so it was a tough place to go into and play,” Meyer said of the 17-10 loss.

“I just remember it being a lot of fun. I remember going in there and having some chances. We didn’t win the game, so I didn’t really take a whole lot from that game other than getting experience on the road and things like that.”

Meyer finished the game 11-for-21 with 100 yards passing. Despite the ordinary stat line, he secured his starting role and won favor with fans in a game the Cyclones were supposed to lose badly.

The Hawkeyes were favored by almost four touchdowns in 2004. Going into this weekend, the Cyclones (0-2 overall) are again the unquestioned underdogs.

The Hawkeyes (2-0) have allowed the fewest points in the nation (3) through their first two games, and shut out Syracuse 35-0 last Saturday while holding the Orangemen to 103 yards.

“We’ve been underdogs every time we’ve played them in the last three years or whatever, so, I mean, I don’t know,” Meyer said. “I don’t think I have any problem with being the underdogs. We haven’t done much to deserve any other thinking.”

In 2005, Iowa State stunned then-No. 8 Iowa, 23-3, at Jack Trice Stadium after forcing five turnovers. Meyer threw for 154 yards on 14-of-24 passing with a touchdown and an interception.

Last season against Iowa, Meyer became Iowa State’s all-time career passing leader and threw and rushed for two touchdowns in the first half. But in the second half, Meyer and the Cyclone offense mustered only a field goal in the 27-17 loss.

Meyer said football wasn’t important in his house as a child, so it was only when he got into high school and was recruited that he began to realize the importance of rivalry.

With four interceptions through two games, Meyer’s personal start and two losses as a team has detracted from public enthusiasm building up to his fourth and final rivalry game.

Anticipation for Saturday’s game, however, is building within the senior from Atlantic.

“Obviously this is the Iowa-Iowa State game. For an instate kid, being a senior, there is a lot of things going through my head,” Meyer said. “This is big.”