ISU secondary coach Chris Ash told Ellis Hobbs it only takes a single play to change the whole game.

One play was all Iowa State needed to swing the momentum back in its favor against Northern Illinois in the Cyclones’ 48-41 victory Saturday.

With 40 seconds left in the third quarter and Iowa State trailing 34-20, Hobbs blocked Northern Illinois’ Anthony Gallagher’s punt near the Huskie goal line. Iowa State’s LaMarcus Hicks covered it in the end zone, cutting the Cyclone deficit to 34-26.

“That was the biggest play of the game,” said ISU strong safety Nik Moser.

“It got the defense going and the offense going; that was a big turning point.”

A big play was something the Cyclones knew was needed coming out of the locker room at halftime.

“We talked to the team at halftime about ‘we got to get some turnovers and some big plays on special teams’,” ISU head coach Dan McCarney said.

The ISU special teams had tried to run the same play earlier in the game, but Northern Illinois clogged up the middle.

“We went after one in the first half, and [Northern Illinois] picked it up,” McCarney said. “I just told Chris Ash, ‘Let’s go get one, I want one. Let’s go get one.’ It was tremendous execution by those kids, great effort and a big, big play at that time.

“You’ve got to do those things when the momentum’s swung their way.”

Hobbs said the play was something they had been practicing all week long. With the help of ISU decoys, the hole just opened up like the “Red Sea,” he said.

“We came at them again, and I waited a little longer so they wouldn’t count me in the count, so the punt protector wouldn’t put me in the count when they’re blocking,” Hobbs said.

“LaMarcus Hicks just pulled down on the center, and they overloaded to the left side, and punt protector went to the left side, and it opened up, and I just ran through.

“All I did was block the kick; everybody else did their job.”

ISU defensive end Tyson Smith said the big plays throughout the game helped the Cyclones build confidence on both sides of the ball.

“Everybody plays better when you have a little momentum on your side,” Smith said. “Their defense was doing the same thing, so we’ve got to take advantage of it.

“The punt block was huge; we needed that, and it sparked our offense, and it sparked us to go out and get another stop.”

Going into the game, the ISU defense was tied for seventh nationally, having given up 404 total yards to its first two opponents.

Iowa State gave up 402 total offense yards to the Huskies, but Hobbs said those statistics and rankings aren’t as important as notching a Cyclone victory.

“The difference between those good teams and the those great teams that keep going on and winning is they find a way regardless of the statistics,” Hobbs said.

“That’s what Coach [John] Skladany told us, that statistics don’t really mean anything. As long as we come out with that ‘W,’ it’s all right.”