AMES, Iowa (AP) — Trever Ryen was sitting in a dorm room at Northern Iowa watching Iowa State playing Texas when he got the itch to play football again. Ryen had given up the game for a track scholarship with the Panthers. But when Ryen saw the Cyclones battle the Longhorns under the lights on national television, he realized he was letting his dream of playing at Iowa State pass him by.

“In my head I was like, ‘Man. It’d be so sweet playing at Jack Trice (Stadium) at night,'” Ryen said. “After watching that game I was like, ‘You know what? Screw it. I’m going to go try to live the dream.'”

The Cyclones are thrilled he did. Ryen, a junior wide receiver, enters this weekend’s game at Oklahoma State as the nation’s leader in punt return average. e is averaging 22.3 yards on seven returns. Four of them have gone at least 25 yards, with a long of 55.