AMES, Iowa -- Jacob Park threw for 165 yards and three touchdowns and Iowa State thumped San Jose State 44-10 on Saturday, giving coach Matt Campbell his first win with the Cyclones.
Mike Warren rushed for a season-high 103 yards for Iowa State (1-3), which finally had some success rotating starter Joel Lanning and Park.
Lanning was 5 of 8 passing for 136 yards and two TDs.
"It was fun watching those guys play together," Campbell said. "I think you saw a lot of energy between the two rooting each other on."
The Cyclones needed just 7:51 and 24 plays to put up 23 points - a season high for a game - in the first half. Lanning's 49-yard TD pass to Deshaunte Jones made it 30-3 early in the second half.
"It was efficient. That's the thing we have to be to have success," Campbell said of the offense, which finished with 503 yards.
San Jose State freshman Josh Love threw for 155 yards, but he was also picked off four times. The Spartans (1-3) sorely missed starter Kenny Potter, who was out with a right leg injury.
THE TAKEAWAY:
Iowa State: Campbell has preached about "the process" it takes to be successful from the day he arrived in Ames. The Cyclones finally got to see what he meant on Saturday. Despite some struggles containing the run, Iowa State was the better team on both sides of the ball. For a program that dropped its previous two games by a combined 60 points, that's progress.
San Jose State: Love might be good someday for the Spartans. But his interception total didn't include a handful of picks that Iowa State just missed out on. San Jose State desperately needs a healthy Potter if it hopes to push for a bowl bid.
UP NEXT:
Iowa State hosts Baylor, its third opponent to be ranked at some point this season. Both Iowa and TCU, which beat the Cyclones by a combined score of 83-23, dropped out of the Top 25 after early losses.
San Jose State opens Mountain West play when travels to face New Mexico, a matchup of two teams expected to finish in the bottom half of the league.
