Special teams steals the show

JaMaine Billups blocked a punt just 2 minutes and 39 seconds into the game. Andy Kohler scooped it up and took it 22 yards for the touchdown.

“Special teams obviously had a huge impact on the game tonight,” head coach Dan McCarney said. “We thought we had a chance to go after it. We wanted to go after the first one to see if we could get it.”

It was the first punt block returned for a touchdown since Lane Danielsen did so against UNLV in 2000.

Todd Miller returned a punt for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. His 45-yard return Saturday closely resembled his 60-yard touchdown return two weeks ago against Tennessee Tech.

“Todd Miller again, along with that whole unit, did a tremendous job,” McCarney said. “It takes a lot of people doing things right on one play to take a punt back all the way like he did.”

Blakeney: ISU can beat Huskers

Troy State coach Larry Blakeney believes the Cyclones have a chance to win Saturday against Nebraska. The Trojans were defeated by the Huskers 31-16 in their season-opener.

“Against Nebraska, you have to stop the option and the tailback power running game,” Blakeney said. “If Iowa State gives Seneca Wallace more touches and avoids special teams mistakes like we had tonight, they can beat Nebraska.”

Vander Sanden returns

Luke Vander Sanden, whom McCarney calls one of the top two guards on the team, returned to the lineup against Troy State. He suffered a broken ankle two weeks before the Florida State game.

McCarney said earlier in the week it was possible Vander Sanden could start against Nebraska. The sophomore said he will need to have another good week of practice in order to get the nodd against the Huskers.

Slippery hands turn sticky

In the Trojans’ first three games they had fumbled 17 times, losing eight of them. In Saturday’s game, neither team committed a turnover. The Cyclones were sixth in the conference in turnover margin coming into the Troy State game.

“We had chances tonight, easily for 4 or 5 turnovers and we got none on defense,” McCarney said. “That is about the only thing disappointing from our defense. . If we are going to win games in the Big 12 you got to get turnovers on defense.”

Cyclones move up

In the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll released Sunday, Iowa State jumped two spots to No. 19. The ranking is the highest spot an ISU team has held since 1981 when the Cyclones were No. 11.