Iowa State may have had flashbacks to the 2013 season-opening loss against Northern Iowa early in the game on Saturday night, falling behind 7-0 in the first half and the Panthers threatening to add on.

But the Cyclones would have none of it, correcting the first quarter stumbles and scoring 31 straight points for the 31-7 win. 

Redshirt sophomore running back Tyler Brown started the ISU offense on the right foot, breaking a 34-yard run on Iowa State’s second offensive play of the game. But that was one of the few highlights in an inconsistent offense that didn’t find its legs until the second quarter.

The Panther’s offense struggled to get going as well until its first drive in the second quarter. An 87-yard, eight-play drive led by 71 passing yards gave Northern Iowa the first touchdown of the game and a 7-0 lead.

Defensive end Dale Pierson turned the momentum around in the Panther’s following drive, intercepting a hurried throw from UNI quarterback Aaron Bailey. The turnover gave Iowa State the ball at Northern Iowa’s 38-yard line.

The Cyclones would make it their first touchdown of the game, with freshman running back Joshua Thomas punching the ball in from a yard out with 7:44 remaining in the half.

Five minutes later, kicker Cole Netten, who had missed his previous two field goal attempts, put a 24-yard kick through the uprights to put the Cyclones up by three going into halftime.

The unanswered points would continue.

Iowa State scored 21 unanswered points in the second half to run to victory and put its two-game season-opening losing streak in the rear-view mirror.