Cyclones Open 2022 With 42-10 Victory Over SEMO

AMES – Hunter Dekkers and Xavier Hutchinson teamed up for a decisive season-opening victory.

Dekkers, a redshirt sophomore making his first start, threw four touchdown passes – three to the veteran Hutchinson – and Iowa State rolled past Southeast Missouri 42-10 Saturday at MidAmerican Energy Field at Jack Trice Stadium.

Running back Jirehl Brock, the understudy to Breece Hall the last two years, also had a big day, rushing for a career-high 104 yards in 16 carries yards and scoring a touchdown as the Cyclones built up some momentum heading into next Saturday's 3 p.m. Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series game at Iowa.

Dekkers, who backed up record-setting Brock Purdy a year ago, connected on his first seven passes and finished 25-of-31 for 293 yards with one interception. He threw two 33-yard touchdown passes to Hutchinson, found Hutchinson for an 8-yard score and fired a 9-yard TD pass to tight end DeShawn Hanika – his first career reception.

Hutchinson, a redshirt senior, became the first ISU player to catch three touchdown passes in a game since Quenton Bundrage against Iowa in 2013. He wound up with eight catches for 128 yards.

Those numbers moved him up to seventh place in the school's record book for career receptions (155) and eighth in receiving yards (1,886). It was his seventh career 100-yard receiving game.

With Dekkers on the mark throughout the sunny afternoon, Iowa State fashioned scoring drives of 90, 85, 84, 80, 77 and 75 yards and finished with 469 yards in total offense.

Southeast Missouri, of the FCS Ohio Valley Conference, drove deep into ISU territory on its first possession before linebacker Colby Reeder, a transfer from Delaware, tipped a pass and redshirt freshman Tyler Onyedim picked it off, giving ISU the ball at its own 15.

Eight plays later, Dekkers hit a wide open Hutchinson on a crossing route for a 33-yard touchdown. On the Cyclones' next possession, Dekkers hit Hutchinson in stride down the seam for another 33-yard TD and a 14-0 lead.

ISU made it three touchdowns in three possessions when Dekkers flicked an 8-yard pass to Hutchinson on a crossing route.

Paxton DeLaurent's 11-yard touchdown pass to Damoriea Vick and a 23-yard field goal drew SEMO to 21-10 at the half, but the Cyclones dominated the second half and pulled away.

Dekkers hit Hanika on a short crossing route to make it 28-10 and Brock scored on a 1-yard run after a nifty 23-yard scamper on which he broke two tackles and juked another defender. Brock put up his solid numbers after carrying only three times for 5 yards in the first half.

Deon Silas added a 1-yard TD with 6:06 left to complete the scoring.

The ISU defense solidified in the second half, holding the Redhawks to 74 yards after giving up 246 in the first two quarters.

With the victory, coach Matt Campbell broke a tie with Clay Stapleton for second place in career wins by an ISU coach with 42. Dan McCarney is the leader with 56 victories. Campbell's .558 winning percentage is the best among all ISU coaches since the Big Six was formed in 1928.

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Team Stats

Hunter Dekkers

Players Mentioned

Jirehl Brock

Hunter Dekkers

Breece Hall

DeShawn Hanika

Xavier Hutchinson

Tyler Onyedim

Brock Purdy

Colby Reeder

Deon Silas

Players Mentioned

Jirehl Brock

Hunter Dekkers

Breece Hall

DeShawn Hanika

Xavier Hutchinson

Tyler Onyedim

Brock Purdy

Colby Reeder

Deon Silas

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics