Defense has been a strength at Iowa State and with a new quarterback and running back the Cyclones will lean on that unit as they seek to rebound from a 4-8 record. Junior Myles Purchase is part of a secondary that may be the best in the Big-12.

Purchase says he has made a lot of progress under first year secondary coach and former NFL veteran Hank Poteat (poh-teet).

ISU opens at home against Northern Iowa on Saturday. Panther coach Mark Farley has an experienced team that was ranked 20th in the FCS preseason poll. Farley says in game adjusts are big in an opener

The Cyclones have won the last three in the series but the last two were nail biters.