LINCOLN, Neb. - Jamie Pollard marched purposefully toward midfield - looking more than a little shocked.

Defensive coordinator Wally Burnham doled out roughly a dozen bear hugs.

First-year head coach Paul Rhoads pumped his first intensely in front of a small visiting crowd crammed into a corner of Memorial Stadium.

Those were the sights and sounds Saturday afternoon, after Iowa State - a nearly 19-point underdog - won at Nebraska for the first time since 1977, benefitting from an unthinkable eight takeaways in a 9-7 triumph.

"It's awesome," said Pollard, Iowa State's athletic director, who had been pacing the Iowa State sideline in the game's waning moments. "I'm happy for the kids. We'll cherish this."

In a wild game that won't soon be forgotten by either club's fan base, the Cyclones walked away victorious despite having a pair of key kicks blocked, getting outgained 362-239 and having two key cogs relegated to the sidelines. And, oh yeah, the Cyclones (5-3, 2-2 Big 12) also watched starting guard Ben Lamaak violently lose his breakfast early in the day.

"You come into a stadium like this," said a misty-eyed Rhoads, "without the Big 12's leading rusher, or your starting quarterback, or a number of guys who were sick - we had guys puking in a bucket - it was just a phenomenal effort."

Iowa State's two biggest stars, quarterback Austen Arnaud and tailback Alexander Robinson, didn't play due to lingering injuries. That means 2,417 yards of total offense stood on the Cyclone sideline all day during the historic upset.

"It's big," said Rhoads. "This is a (Nebraska) program that has as much tradition as anyone in college football.

"It's a big win. We're excited."

Stunningly, Nebraska (4-3, 1-2) turned the ball over four times within five yards of paydirt - all in the game's first 40 minutes.

"I'm disappointed in our football team," said Nebraska coach Bo Pelini. "It's coaching and want-to. We had plenty of opportunities to win the football game and we didn't get it done.

"We were our own worst enemy today."

This border rivalry's first 30 minutes were pockmarked by a pair of questionable calls that went in the Cyclones' favor. On two separate occasions, a Cyclone defensive back produced a takeaway near the hosts' goal line. Both plays were reviewed by officials.

Safety David Sims' bobbling interception with nearly 10 minutes left before halftime set up Iowa State's only touchdown, a flawlessly thrown 47-yard strike from backup quarterback Jerome Tiller to wideout Jake Williams.

"It seemed like it was in the air forever," said Williams. "It feels absolutely wonderful. I don't think I'll stop smiling 'til we get back to Ames."

That scoring pass handed the Cyclones a 9-7 lead with roughly 37 minutes remaining. Shockingly, the score stood.

Saturday marked the fourth consecutive Big 12 contest in which Iowa State led in the fourth quarter. The Cyclones are now 2-2 in that stretch of games.

"We've lost by five (and) by one. To be on the right side this time feels really good," said Williams, whose Cyclone squad posted its first league road win since 2005.

The Cyclones weren't just battling the 2009 Huskers Saturday. They were also battling history. Since 1962, Nebraska had scored 40 or more points 11 times against Iowa State and had surpassed 70 points in three matchups.

Yet, there the Cyclones were, celebrating like mad men at midfield at game's end, shortly after linebacker Jesse Smith snared a fourth-down interception over the middle.

"It was awesome," said Smith, a senior from Altoona. "To break the streak after not winning in Lincoln for however many years - since 1977 - it's big.

"It's big for the state of Iowa, it's big for Iowa State University, and it's big for this team."

"It was a strange, strange day," said Rhoads, smiling. "Maybe someone thought 32 years was enough."