Todd Blythe and the ISU Cyclones were lights out in Saturday’s 45-17 victory over the Kansas State Wildcats.

Literally.

Just as quarterback Bret Meyer released his first-quarter touchdown pass to Blythe, the stadium lights shut off.

Blythe kept his concentration and made the catch, tying him for first all-time in school history with 15 career touchdown receptions.

“They told me afterwards the lights went out,” Blythe said. “I didn’t even realize it.”

The momentary technical gaff lasted only a few plays before the lights came back on, but tight end Walter Nickel said it was no coincidence.

“It was symbolic,” Nickel said. “Blythe’s a lights-out player and he makes lights-out catches.”

Blythe’s touchdown catch put Iowa State in the driver’s seat with a 17-0 lead in the opening quarter and jump-started them to a victory that clinched bowl eligibility for the second straight year and fifth time in six seasons.

“The pressure of getting the bowl bid is off,” coach Dan McCarney said. “Do we relax? No. We appreciate it, respect it and enjoy it for 24 hours and then get ready for Colorado.”

Just as Iowa State looked like they were going to run away with the game, Kansas State made their own run in the second quarter, scoring on a 36-yard Jeff Snodgrass field goal and a quarterback keeper by Allan Evridge for a touchdown.

With the Wildcats closing to 17-10 at the half, the Cyclones said they knew they would have to buckle down to keep the game from slipping away.

“We knew this game wasn’t over,” Blythe said. “We knew Kansas State came back from a big deficit against Texas A&M, so we knew they were capable of doing that to us.

“We just had to come out and keep the pedal down.”

McCarney said the coaches challenged the players after the ugly second quarter, in which Iowa State managed only 44 yards of offense and were penalized 5 times for 50 yards.

The Cyclones responded well, scoring 21 points in the first eight minutes of the third quarter to put the game out of reach at 38-10.

“We really challenged our kids,” McCarney said. “There were way too many penalties in the first half.

“We got it corrected and came out in the second half and drove down into the wind and scored a touchdown right away.”

After scoring their second touchdown of the third quarter, Cyclone Alvin Bowen forced a Wildcat fumble on the ensuing kickoff, and the Cyclones recovered at the 33-yard line.

The fumble set up a four-play, 33-yard drive capped by a 1-yard touchdown run by Ryan Kock that iced the game.

“That’s as big a play as you can have in football,” McCarney said.

“When the kickoff team – after scoring – goes down and knocks the ball out again.”

The explosive second half by the Cyclones was sparked by a monster effort by junior Stevie Hicks, who amassed 130 of his 149 rushing yards after halftime.

Now that the Cyclones have clinched bowl eligibility, they said they are not ready to relax. In fact, many players said they are ready to shoot for a better bowl game.

“It’s a great feeling [to be bowl eligible],” Nickel said.

“But we’re really anxious to get things going again. We’re excited, but this isn’t the end of the line, either. We still have two games left to play.”

Blythe agreed and said he is ready to try and earn a better bowl game.

“Anytime we’re playing somewhere warm is good,” Blythe said.

Iowa State, which moved into a tie for second in the Big 12 North division, will put their title hopes on the line next week when division leader Colorado comes to town.

The game is scheduled for 6 p.m. and will be nationally televised on Fox Sports Net.