AMES, Iowa (Ticker) -- Cedric Benson, B.J. Johnson and No. 20 Texas took out some frustration on Big 12 Conference foe Iowa State.
Benson ran for 140 yards and three touchdowns and Johnson had 187 receiving yards and a score as the Longhorns routed the Cyclones, 40-19.
Texas (5-2, 2-1 Big 12 South), which was playing its first game outside the Lone State State this season, was routed last week by top-ranked Oklahoma, 65-13, its fourth straight defeat in the Red River Shootout.
But for the fourth consecutive season, the Longhorns responded with a victory. Texas won six games in a row after the loss to the Sooners in 2000 and 2001 and took its next four contests last year.
"We're excited to get back on track, and were excited to come up here and play," Longhorns coach Mack Brown said.
Benson opened the scoring with a six-yard run 2:42 into the contest and made it 14-0 with an eight-yard burst with 12:32 left in the second quarter. Dusty Magnum kicked a pair of field goals around a 13-yard pass from Vince Young to Johnson to open up a 27-0 advantage at the break.
"We stood up tall and stood our ground," Benson said. "We wanted to make a statement and we're making the best of it."
The Longhorns outgained the Cyclones at the break, 346-45, after holding the ball for nearly 21 minutes.
"I am really proud of our guys," Brown said. "They played well in the first half."
Iowa State (2-5, 0-3 North), which dropped its fifth straight game, pulled within 33-19 on a five-yard pass from Austin Flynn to Lane Danielsen and a successful two-point conversion run by Flynn with 8:23 left, but Texas countered with a 30-yard TD toss from Chance Mock to Roy Williams just 1:16 later.
Young completed 12-of-16 passes for 156 yards, one touchdown and one interception and Mock was 6-of-9 for 131 yards and a touchdown for Texas.
Flynn was just 5-of-18 for 123 yards and a score in the second half after replacing an ineffective Cris Love. The Cyclones starter was 6-of-16 for 49 yards in the first half.
"Cris Love played better in practice this week and that's why we made the decision late this week to start him," Cyclones coach Dan McCarney said. "Austin came in and clearly was more effective in the second half. That was embarrassing in the first half from an offensive standpoint."
Danielsen had five catches for 74 yards and a touchdown and ran once for a two-yard score.
"Austin came in and sparked us in the second half," Danielsen said. "I just try to go out there and do my job, but Austin did a good job for us."
Texas is 5-0 all time against Iowa State, which it outgained, 578-277.
