The ISU football team is off to a fast start this season. One player leading the cause is senior quarterback Sage Rosenfels. Rosenfels was named the Big 12 Conference Offensive Player of the Week Monday for his performance in the Cyclones’ 24-14 victory over intrastate rival Iowa Saturday in Iowa City. Rosenfels totaled 228 passing yards on 17-of-26 passing numbers. Rosenfels also did damage on the ground with 59 yards on 12 carries and scored twice. The Cyclones racked up 485 yards of total offense to set a rivalry record. “I think I played good enough for us to win the game, and that’s all that matters to me,” Rosenfels said. “We need to keep chugging away and keep winning. Our offense played real well up until we got to the five-yard line, but you know what, it’s a win.” The Cyclones scored the game-clinching touchdown with five minutes left as Rosenfels scored on a touchdown run of five yards. The Hawkeyes had just scored a touchdown on the previous possession and had the momentum when the Cyclones started the scoring drive. On the game-clinching drive down the field, Rosenfels completed three passes for 48 yards and added a 13-yard run. On the touchdown play, Rosenfels ran a bootleg and outran Iowa cornerback Tim Dodge to the corner of the end zone. “We had been running a play with two tight ends, and we put one in motion and run strong to their side,” Rosenfels said. “The offensive line stuck their guys up front, and Chris Anthony did a great job running his guy off downfield, and I had only one guy to beat to the corner. “We made the big plays when we needed them. A lot of the things I said during the offseason was the one difference between this year and last year was that we needed to make the big plays.” Rosenfels has now started 14 games under center, dating back to last season. ISU Head Football Coach Dan McCarney feels his quarterback has gotten better with experience, and it showed on the last touchdown run. “That’s one of those plays we ask him to read the defense and either hand it off or bring it outside,” McCarney said. “He did a real good job of executing on that play and you can see the maturity in his decision making.” In all three games this season, the Cyclones have gained over 400 total yards, which is a school record. Rosenfels accounts for a good portion of those yards, averaging 262.7 yards of total offense. Rosenfels has thrown for 708 yards in three games, including a season high 286 in the Cyclones 37-22 victory over UNLV. Rosenfels sports a quarterback rating of 125.08 as he has completed 50-of-88 passes. Iowa State offensive lineman Andy Stensrud likes the attitude of the player he’s assigned to protect. “Sage is a quarterback that leads by example,” Stensrud said. “He really enjoys playing the game, you can tell be just looking at him in the huddle. He likes to have fun.” Rosenfels has gone through three games without being sacked and is quick to praise his offensive line. “The offensive line did a great job today [Saturday], and they’ve been doing a great job of protecting me all year,” Rosenfels said. “They controlled the line of scrimmage at the end of the game when we had too. They’re asked to do a lot of things, and they really are the heart and soul of this team.”