ISU outclassed against Mizzou, Cyclones lose 52-17

COLUMBIA, Mo. - An Iowa State quarterback led his team on a fourth-quarter touchdown drive Saturday at Missouri.

And it wasn't Steele Jantz.

Instead, the first-year starter known for his furious finishes stood on the sideline while backup Jared Barnett mopped up the final 15 minutes of a dispiriting 52-17 Big 12 loss before 71,004 fans at Memorial Stadium.

“We were a good bit behind and Steele hadn't led a touchdown drive yet,” ISU coach Paul Rhoads explained to a reporter when asked about the switch. “So I didn't think I'd consult with you. I thought I'd make the decision myself and put Jared Barnett out there and see what he can do with our offensive football team.”

Why not?

Not much worked Saturday for the Cyclones from the opening kick.

Henry Josey returned that offering 43 yards - with ISU kicker Grant Mahoney making the tackle - and set up a 50-yard, eight-rush, no-pass touchdown drive that took just 3:02.

The Tigers (3-3, 1-2) never looked back, gouging the Cyclones' defense for 167 yards and 21 points in the first quarter alone.

“Every single gap that we'd miss on or something, usually teams don't hit us on those, but they found a way to exploit every weakness that we had,” said ISU linebacker Jake Knott, who Rhoads noted hasn't practiced in two weeks because of various health issues. “They did it really really well.”

By the end of the third quarter, Missouri had amassed a balance 564 yards of offense and forged a 45-10 lead.

“(Missouri) make mincemeat out of our defensive football team,” Rhoads said.

By the start of the fourth, Barnett - whose first career throw resulted in a tipped interception at his own nine-yard line - was running the Cyclones' offense.

He ended up 3-for-8 for 25 yards and also rushed for 21 yards on four carries.

“On the offensive side, obviously we didn't put enough points on the board and that's what we really need to do,” Barnett said. “I feel like the coaches will make the best decision on who should play and who's going to drive the team down the field.”

Jantz completed 17-of-32 passes for 161 yards and rushed for 37 yards while fumbling twice.

“No matter what coach says, or what happens, I kind of have the same attitude,” Jantz said. “I know my game isn't complete. I try to do what I can to win and keep getting better.”

Rhoads strongly cautioned against reading too much into the late quarterback change.

“I'm not going to light up anything into that,” he said. “We're certainly going to examine the play of our quarterbacks and then make a decision moving forward, which I won't have anything to tell you. You'll see at kickoff who goes out with us. I'm not saying that it's a competition, I'm not saying Steele won't start but don't bother asking me during the week.”

The Cyclones' single, brightest spot came with 10:07 left in the second quarter, when linebacker A.J. Klein intercepted Missouri quarterback James Franklin and rambled for a 78-yard touchdown.

That made the score 28-10, momentarily keeping hope alive.

ISU then forced turnovers on the Tigers' next two possessions - Knott with an interception and Leonard Johnson with a fumble recovery, but the offense failed to respond, punting each time.

“We've got to do a better job as an offense,” Jantz said, “personally and as a team.”

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