AMES -- Watch out, Iowa.

Your in-state rival, the Iowa State Cyclones, are singing a different tune this season.

Saturday, by the time the Jack Trice Stadium speakers blared the traditional "Sweet Caroline" by Neil Diamond in the second half, Iowa State had already ended much of the suspense in a 48-28 triumph over Kent State.

A year ago at this time, Iowa State was 0-2. Now, in 2008, the Cyclones are humming along nicely, at 2-0 and with a second-straight win over the hated Hawkeyes penciled onto their list.

"I'm just so proud of our coaches … and our players," said second-year Cyclone head coach Gene Chizik, whose club won without the services of tailback Alexander Robinson, who's day-to-day with a leg injury.

"We've worked eight long months to be 2-0," Chizik added. "I'm just so excited for those guys."

Iowa State benefitted from four Kent State fumbles, blocked a pair of punts, and saw wideout R.J. Sumrall ring up 104 receiving yards and two key scoring strikes.

"All the hard work is paying off," said Iowa State linebacker Josh Raven. "We're kinda on a roll right now."

The game's tipping point came late in the third quarter, when one of the Cyclones' several emerging freshmen playmakers, cornerback Leonard Johnson, pounced on a fumbled Kent State punt.

One play later, Iowa State's Austen Arnaud plowed in from five yards out on a quarterback keeper.

Iowa State 38, Kent State 21. Mr. Diamond, the microphone is yours.

"We were pretty opportunistic," said Chizik.

In many ways, Saturday was a game of firsts for Iowa State. Standout senior wideout Sumrall scored his first career touchdown, a 24-yard first-quarter scoring strike from Phillip Bates -- which came on his 104th career reception. Then, inconceivably, Sumrall added his second career score barely 10 minutes later.

Tailback J.J. Bass saw his first action of the season, and promptly hit paydirt late in the first quarter, on a three-yard scoring run. The senior did so in a new jersey -- No. 3.

Of course, for all its newness, this game featured few changes regarding the Cyclones' quarterback situation.

Again, both Arnaud and Phillip Bates had their moments. Bates applied the icing to the cake, registering a late, 56-yard run. Arnaud fired a flawless, 49-yard second-quarter scoring strike to Sumrall, and ended the night 12-for-15 for 166 yards.

Of course, as usual, both Iowa State signal-callers also displayed just enough mistakes to shake their coaches' confidence just a bit. Arnaud fumbled on two of his first four snaps, for instance. As a result, Chizik sounded as if he'll still rotate his signal-callers next Saturday, saying "we'll play 'em accordingly."

But Iowa State, now the proud owner of four consecutive home wins, saw enough positives to head to Iowa City with confidence next week.

The special teams, for one thing, were spectacular against Kent State (0-2).

"Two blocked punts in one game? That's an amazing feat," noted Cyclone punter Mike Brandtner.

"The silver-lining in this whole thing would be we're (causing) turnovers," said Chizik. "I know this: we can be good -- at times."

The Cyclones bounded joyfully into Rivalry Week right about the time they recovered a fumble of Kent State quarterback Julian Edelman deep in the red zone midway through the fourth quarter. Chris Brown, a senior safety making his first action after off-season knee surgery, wrestled away the loose ball.

Now, there's no question the Cyclones will be ready for the Hawkeyes, right?

"I should've known you'd ask that question," Arnaud said to reporters. "We will be, when Saturday comes."

Contact Kelly Beaton at (319) 291-1456 or kelly.beaton@wcfcourier.com

IOWA ON THE MIND: It didn't take long for veteran Cyclones to teach uninitiated teammates about the rival Hawkeyes, whom Iowa State squares off with on the road in six days.

"They told me a lot," said true freshman wideout Sedrick Johnson, reffering to the Cyclones' elder statesmen. "They've told me there will be about 80,000 people booing you when we go there.

"I ain't ever had about 80,000 people booing me," added a smiling Johnson, who hails from Troup, Texas.

MASCOT MELEE: Iowa State is set to receive some national exposure in a unique way in coming weeks. Iowa State's most staunch -- if silent -- supporter, Cy, is set to appear in at least one television commercial as part of Capital One's national mascot tournament.

Cy will vie with such esteemed competitors as Tennessee's Smokey and South Carolina's Cocky.

Cyclone fans can cast votes for their mascot in the competition online, at www.capitalonebowl.com.

QUICK HITTERS: Ten Iowa State alums are on NFL opening-day rosters: Tim Dobbins (San Diego); Reggie Hayward (Jacksonville); LaMarcus Hicks (Detroit); Ellis Hobbs (New England); James Reed (New Orleans); Sage Rosenfels (Houston); Oliver Ross (New England); Seneca Wallace (Seattle) and Athyba Rubin (Cleveland). Additionally, rookie linebacker Alvin Bowen was placed on injured reserve by Buffalo. … Iowa State is now 19-9 all-time in night games at Jack Trice Stadium. … Jason Scales' first-quarter blocked punt Saturday was Iowa State's first since Sept. 23, 2005, at Army. Shockingly, teammate Houston Jones added another snuffed punt in the third quarter, too.

Contact Kelly Beaton at (319) 291-1456 or kelly.beaton@wcfcourier.com

Iowa State 48,

Kent State 28

Kent State 7 14 0 7 ï½ 28

Iowa State 21 7 10 10 ï½ 48

FIRST QUARTER

KSU - Jarvis 23 run (Reed kick), 11:15.

(Drive: Three plays, 35 yards, 1:15. Key play: Jarvis 9 run on second-and-seven, to Iowa State 23).

ISU - Scales 1 run (Mahoney kick), 5:32.

(Drive: One play. Key play: Scales blocks Kent State punt, which deflects nearly 20 yards backward, to Kent State 1).

ISU - Sumrall 24 pass from Bates (Mahoney kick), 1:59.

(Drive: Five plays, 61 yards, 2:34. Key play: Bates 28 run at the 3 minute, 31-second mark).

ISU - Bass 3 run (Mahoney kick), 0:37.

(Drive: Two plays, 20 yards, :30. Key play: Iowa State linebacker Josh Raven recovered Kent State fumble at opponents' 20).

SECOND QUARTER

KSU - Jarvis 29 pass from Edelman (Reed kick), 14:04.

(Drive: Four plays, 65 yards, 1:24. Key play: Edelman 15 run on first-and-10, to ISU 42).

ISU - Sumrall 49 pass from Arnaud (Mahoney kick), 10:06.

(Drive: Seven plays, 60 yards, 3:51. Key play: Scales 5 run on third-and-one).

KSU - Simpson 11 pass from Edelman (Reed kick), 1:07

THIRD QUARTER

ISU - FG Mahoney 30, 6:34.

(Drive: Four plays, 9 yards, 1:52. Key play: Bass held to three yards on third-and-four).

ISU - Arnaud 5 run (Mahoney kick), :16.

(Drive: One play. Key play: Iowa State's Leonard Johnson recovers fumbled Kent State punt at 5).

FOURTH QUARTER

KSU - Bayes 36 pass from Edelman (Reed kick), 12:17.

(Drive: Seven plays, 76 yards, 2:56. Key play: Edelman broke three tackles and passed to Jarvis for 18 on third-and-17).

ISU - FG Mahoney 48, 9:58.

(Drive: Five plays, 24 yards, 2:11. Key play: Sumrall 22 pass on first-and-10, to Kent State 33).

ISU - Scales 4 run (Mahoney kick), :47.

(Drive: Five plays, 63 yards, 1:56. Key play: Bates runs 56 yards on third-and-eight).

TEAM STATISTICS

KENT ISU

First downs 20 14

Rushes-yards 43-243 45-160

Passing yards 167 214

Comp-Att-Int 11-24-0 15-21-0

Return yards 156 204

Punts-avg. 6-27.5 4-36.8

Fumbles-lost 5-4 2-1

Penalties-yards 5-34 6-65

Time of possession 27:38 32:22

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing

KENT STATE - Jarvis 24-139, Edelman 13-65, Flowers 5-26, Bayes 1-13.

IOWA STATE - Bates 8-83, Scales 19-31, Arnaud 8-25, Bass 1-minus-3.

Passing

KENT STATE - Edelman 10-22-0, 171 yards; Maazu 1-2-0, minus 4 yards.

IOWA STATE - Arnaud 12-15-0, 166 yards; Bates 3-6-0, 48 yards.

Receiving

KENT STATE - Jarvis 4-60, Bayes 2-55, Muldrow 2-37, Simpson 2-19, Garner 1-minus 4.

IOWA STATE - Sumrall 4-104, H. Jones 3-50, Scales 3-22, Se. Johnson 2-12, Darks 1-13, Franklin 1-7, Hamilton 1-6.

Tackles (Solos-Assists-Total)

KENT STATE - Burrell 7-4-11, Mixon 5-3-8, Lainhart 4-3-7, Sadler 4-1-5, Richey 3-2-5, Hogan 3-2-5, Simmons 3-1-4, Maxwell 2-2-4, Hull 2-2-4, Frist 1-3-4, Belgrave 2-1-3, Walters 2-1-3, Rainey 1-0-1, Moss 1-0-1, Edelman 1-0-1, Pleasant 0-1-1, Mirando 0-1-1, W. Johnson 0-1-1.

IOWA STATE - Je. Smith 4-4-8, Bibbs 6-1-7, Taylor 6-0-6, Ja. Smith 3-3-6, Garrin 1-4-5, Benton 3-1-4, Lyle 2-2-4, St. Johnson 3-0-3, Singleton 2-1-3, Tate 2-1-3, Ekwelundu 2-0-2, Na. Frere 2-0-2, Raven 2-0-2, Parker 1-1-2, Bell 1-1-2, Hamilton 1-0-1, Z. Sandvig 10-1, Chris Brown 1-0-1, Ferguson 0-1-1.

Sacks

KENT STATE - Mixon 1-13, Simmons 1-8.

IOWA STATE - Taylor 1-8, Lyle 1-4.