COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF: 41 days

Each day leading up to Iowa State’s season opener against South Dakota State, Cyclone Fanatic will check another day off the calendar with a memorable statistic, player or game as part of our Countdown to Kickoff presented by Tailgate Clothing. 

Jared Barnett’s Iowa State legend was cemented on Nov. 18, 2011, but it got its start two weeks earlier when the Cyclones upset No. 20 Texas Tech 41-7 on Oct. 29, in the redshirt freshman quarterback’s first collegiate start.

Barnett threw for 144 yards and a touchdown plus added 92 yards and a score on the ground while the Cyclones jumped out to a 21-0 first quarter lead. James White, Jeff Woody and Duran Hollis added rushing touchdowns of their own while helping the Cyclones out-rush Tech 368-99.

The win gave Iowa State its second win over a top-20 team in as many seasons and its first conference win of the 2011 slate. It was also the program’s largest margin of victory against a top-20 team since beating No. 20 Nebraska by 22 points in 2002.

The Cyclones would add their first win over a top-5 team two weeks later, but the win over the Red Raiders was the sign of the exciting things to come the next month.