AMES, Iowa — Iowa State coach Dan McCarney notices a change in his redshirt freshman quarterback, Bret Meyer.

So does Cyclones receiver Jon Davis.

Meyer, abusing Nebraska's 95th-nationally ranked pass defense, completed 17 of 38 passes for 345 yards with three touchdowns and an interception in a 34-27 win at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday.

He also may have helped the Cyclones, now first in the Big 12 North, find the offensive identity McCarney said his team has been searching for.

"Today, we broke out offensively," said McCarney, whose team only threw more passes this season in a 34-7 loss to Texas A&M. "(Meyer) was ready to play, no doubt about it."

McCarney said Meyer spoke for the first time in front of the team at a team meeting Friday night, and his words of leadership convinced the coach that his young quarterback is maturing.

"He sounded like a fourth- or fifth-year senior," McCarney said. "Not like a redshirt freshman."

Meyer, at times earlier this season, struggled to hit receivers out of the backfield with precision. He was 9-of-19 for 51 yards in last week's 13-3 win over Kansas.

That wasn't the case Saturday, as he found receivers downfield in stride.

Davis, a sophomore who caught the game-winning 77-yard touchdown pass, said Meyer's passes on Saturday were as sharp as they were all week in practice.

"Lately, he's been putting the ball right on us we need it to make plays," the Papillion native said.

Meyer credited resilient receivers and solid pass protection for his success.

"My receivers were getting in the holes and I felt like I was out in the backyard throwing the ball around," Meyer said. "Coach said fundamentals and vision were going to be the key today."

Iowa State's passing game may see tougher tests in its final two games of the season against Kansas State (Nov. 20) and Missouri (Nov. 27). Kansas State entered Saturday ranked 32nd nationally in pass defense, while Missouri was third.

Davis said he could get used playing in an offense that throws often, but added that much work is left to become a consistently good passing team.

"We had some three-and-outs that we really need to get rid of," he said. "We wanted to show that we can throw the ball well, and we'll work to keep on doing it the rest of the season."