Not Theo’s day: UNI humbled in season-opening loss at Iowa State

AMES — A highly-anticipated game to begin a season with higher-than-usual expectations didn’t provide a storybook beginning for Northern Iowa.

Iowa State used all three phases in a 30-9 win Saturday at Jack Trice Stadium.

UNI quarterback Theo Day — whose preseason All-America status loomed ominously for Cyclone fans over the rivalry game — was unable to overcome a formidable Cyclone defense, completing just 47 percent of his passes, throwing two interceptions and getting sacked five times.

Day’s first interception proved most costly. A mistimed out-route to Sam Schnee on the Panthers’ first possession allowed the Cyclones’ Jeremiah Cooper to jump the route and run 58 yards the other way for an early 7-0 lead.

“I think there should have been a lot more energy,” UNI Coach Mark Farley said. “Maybe it was because of the heat — the heat does play a factor, it takes a lot of zap out of you — but I think you’ve got to play with more energy, more intensity. That’s what was lacking and thus the speed of play wasn’t where it should have been to win a game like that.”

Jon Heacock’s ISU defense proceeded to keep the clamps on UNI the remainder of the first half, suffocating the Panthers’ wide receivers and forcing UNI’s offense into four three-and-outs.

With 15 seconds left in the half, Cooper intercepted Day once again and returned the errant pass 30 yards to the UNI 38, allowing Chase Contreraz the opportunity to convert a 56-yard field goal attempt — the fifth-longest in ISU history — and give the Cyclones a 23-0 lead at halftime.

Trailing by 30 after a four play, 87-yard Iowa State touchdown drive to open the second half, UNI’s offense began to show some signs of life.

Day completed 3 of 6 attempts in a 12 play, 61-yard drive that stalled at Iowa State’s 14 and ended with a 31-yard Matthew Cook field goal.

The senior QB continued to find more rhythm two drives later — completing 36, 11 and 3-yard passes — the last a touchdown to Desmond Hutson.

Despite Day and the UNI offense outgaining the Cyclones 192-101 in the second half, Farley reiterated that the energy and confidence needed from the offense wasn’t there after the first-possession pick-6.

“I wasn’t pleased with any part of it, even though there were times you (could) say we were moving the ball or whatever, but not like we should be able to,” Farley said. “You look at the numbers on the board as far as rushing and passing (and) there’s not much out there that happened today except for turnovers and mistakes that created big plays and big scores.”

Day and the Panthers head back to Cedar Falls humbled, but with valuable game film in tow ahead of a clash against FCS 10th-ranked Weber State next Saturday at 4 p.m. — a matchup that Farley said will test the resolve of his All-America senior quarterback.

“The good ones can overcome adversity and overcome days like this and move on and move out. The other ones don’t, it lingers on them,” Farley said. “So, I anticipate (Day) will move on and he’ll have to. I also think he missed a ton of throws.

“But at the same time, the protection and some of that stuff, too, was lacking in critical situations. So, let’s not point the finger at (Day). I just think that everybody’s got to take a share in the defeat.”