By LUKE MEREDITH

AP Sports Writer

AMES — Much of the offseason discussion about Iowa State concerned its schedule, and with good reason. The Cyclones have a brutal fall on tap, with road games at Iowa, Texas and Oklahoma and home matchups with Utah, Nebraska and Missouri.

Iowa State’s opener isn’t exactly a cakewalk either.

Instead of working out the kinks against an undersized and overmatched FCS team, the Cyclones kick off the 2010 season on Thursday night against Northern Illinois, a favorite in the Mid-American Conference.

Iowa State has plenty to worry about down the road, starting with a trip to Iowa City next week, but it doesn’t have the luxury of a tuneup, either.

“They are solid at every phase. Defensively, they stop the run. On offense they run the ball extremely well,” Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads said of Northern Illinois. “They have a defense that flies around the field and pursues with great intensity to the ball.