Cyclones get back to work after upset over Longhorns

AMES - They celebrated in the locker room, on the plane ride home and during an impromptu pep rally Saturday night on campus.

On Sunday it was back to work for Iowa State's sky-high football team following a historic 28-21 victory over Texas. The Cyclones (4-4, 2-2 Big 12) now find themselves two wins shy of bowl eligibility and full of confidence after their shocking road upset of the Longhorns.

The feeling they had the previous two weekends is a distant memory.

“Our kids are confident again and have a belief they are a good football team,” Coach Paul Rhoads said Sunday night.

ISU receiver Darius Darks had more than confidence running through his body as the Cyclones gathered to eat dinner at the Jacobson Athletic Building.

The Austin, Texas, native oozed pride.

“I'm still trying to get my voice back from yelling the whole game,” Darks said. “Getting that win and being able to go home with bragging rights is an indescribable feeling.”

Darks got dozens of calls and text messages and his Facebook account also was flooded with posts, most of them congratulatory, following the team's first-ever win over the Longhorns in eight tries.

“It was crazy,” Darks said. “I got messages from people I hadn't talked to in years. It wasn't all bad.”

This week's 1 p.m. match-up with last-place Kansas (2-5, 0-3) at Jack Trice Stadium is a huge one with only four games left on the schedule.

ISU then plays host to Nebraska (6-1, 2-1), travels to Colorado (3-4, 0-3) on Nov. 13 and finishes the season at home against North Division leader Missouri (7-0, 3-0). Rhoads won't allow his players to get too high on themselves.

“It most definitely is a concern,” he said. “Never too high, never too low. That's where we have to be right now as a football team.”

The victory over Texas was ISU's first on the road against a ranked team since a 33-31 decision at No. 16 Oklahoma in 1990. It was the program's first over a ranked team of any kind since the 2005 season. One of the best things about it? No one saw it coming.

The Cyclones had been outscored 120-27 the previous two games.

“We'd gotten beat so soundly the last two games. We were a fragile team,” Rhoads said. “The only way you erase that is by going out and having success.”

Like they did around this time last year after an equally thrilling 9-7 win at Nebraska, an estimated 2,000 fans greeted the team inside its indoor practice facility when they arrived home about 8:30 p.m.

Quarterback Austen Arnaud passed for two touchdowns and tailback Alexander Robinson rushed for 120 yards and two scores.

A defense that was torn up in losses to Utah and Oklahoma allowed the Longhorns 440 yards, but made key plays all game.

Texas' Garrett Gilbert tossed three interceptions, including one in the end zone in the second quarter and another in the fourth that ended a promising drive. ISU forced four turnovers in all and was successful on an onside kick in the first half.

Defensive end Jacob Lattimer played out of his mind in his first start with seven tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble.

Next up for the Cyclones is Kansas, which has struggled mightily this season under first-year coach Turner Gill. The Jayhawks have been outscored 159-24 in three league games.

“They've had their bumps in the road, just like us,” said linebacker A.J. Klein. “You can't point fingers at teams and say they can't compete and they are going to be someone we can walk all over. They are still a dangerous team.”