Iowa State had to go to triple overtime to down Toledo 45-43 in the season opener Thursday night in Ames. Cyclone coach Dan McCarney said it was just a hard fought game they’re pleased to win. McCarney says he thought it was a tremendous football game with lots of mistakes and lots of great effort. McCarney says Toledo’s quarterback did a great job and played with a lot of poise.
McCarney also got great play out of his own quarterback. Junior quarterback Brett Meyer scored on draw plays in the first and fourth quarter, and in overtime along with running in a two-point conversion to total 70 yards rushing. McCarney says they knew Meyer might have to use his feet along with his arm. He says part of the runs were in the game plan as they want Meyer to run a little more because he has talent running the football.
Meyer also threw for 234 yards and two touchdowns. Junior receiver Todd Blythe had only three catches in regulation, but made two outstanding plays to score touchdowns in two of the overtimes. McCarney says Blythe is a special player who steps up when the game is on the line. He says they wanted to go to Blythe more in the game but Toledo covered him.
It was the first overtime win in McCarney’s tenure as Cyclone head coach, after some devastating overtime loses. He says they’ve worked at finishing games. McCarney says all through camp the last period every day they worked on what they call O-T, not overtime, but our time. It ended a streak of five overtime loses for I-S-U.
Meyer says getting a victory in overtime does give the team a mental boost. Meyer says “a win’s a win,” and says special teams and turnovers played a big role. Meyer says he was impressed with Toledo’s quarterback and told him so.
Iowa State next faces UNLV on September 9th at home.