AMES, Iowa • Morgan Scalley believed rain was going to be a factor Saturday in Iowa.

No. 15 Utah even had a game plan in place throughout the week to handle the weather.

“We have to continue to be who we are,” Scalley said Tuesday. “Ultimately, it comes down to wearing the right cleats, good footing.”

Other than a drizzle before the game, though, it didn’t rain much during the game.

As for the footing, well, no one was more sure-footed Saturday than Wayshawn Parker.

The Utah running back had 239 total yards and three touchdowns as Utah opened Big 12 play with a 31-17 win over Iowa State.

Utah (4-0, 1-0 Big 12) came flying out of the floodgates, opening up a 24-3 lead at halftime. The Utes then weathered a late-game storm from the Cyclones and put the game away with a late touchdown pass from Devon Dampier to Parker.

Here are three takeaways from Utah’s fourth win:

Wayshawn “first play” Parker

It didn’t take long for the Utes to get off to a fast start — less than 15 seconds, actually.

On the first play from scrimmage, Parker took a direct snap and dashed past the Cyclone defense for a 54-yard touchdown.

Parker said it was his goal to get to a fast start against the Cyclones’ defense.

“I want to set the tone every week,” Parker said. “I want to do it. Not anybody else.

“I’m going to show them that that’s how it’s gonna be. It’s gonna be a physical game for the opponents, and we will rock the ball out.”

The opening play was just the beginning of the big day for Parker.

The junior running back ran it to paydirt again on Utah’s final drive before halftime to give Utah a 24-3 lead.

And it was Parker who put the finishing touches on the game.

After Iowa State clawed back into the game with two long touchdown drives in the second half, Utah got the ball back into Parker’s hands.

Parker had 40 yards on the Utes’ final touchdown drive, including the 13-yard touchdown reception to put the game on ice.

Parker had 174 yards rushing and 65 yards receiving on the day.

While it seemed like the game plan was to get the ball in the junior running back’s hands, he said “he did not know” he was going to have as big of a day as he did.

“I’m pretty sure [offensive coordinator Kevin McGiven’s] going to give everybody the ball,” Parker said. “I want to let everybody know that the ball relies on me, [especially] when they want to put the ball in my hands.”

Devon Dampier shows off his throw game

Devon Dampier talked about it all offseason — how he had worked on his pre-snap reads, his footwork and even his accuracy. Dampier showcased a little bit of everything on Saturday.

His best play of the day came on a 24-yard touchdown to receiver Braden Pegan over the middle. Dampier was also incredibly efficient in the first half, connecting on 80% of his first 15 passes.

Dampier finished the game with 206 passing yards and two touchdowns.

The senior quarterback said a large number of family members attended the win.

“I think 50 to 70 people of my family members came today,” Dampier said.

He made sure they left happy.

Iowa State’s second-half comeback

The Cyclones weathered Utah’s first-half storm with two long touchdown drives in the third and fourth quarters, respectively.

ISU quarterback Jalen Raynor was the main culprit in the comeback attempt, notching a rushing score and then a 22-yard touchdown pass that brought the Cyclones to within seven points with 10:52 left in the fourth quarter.

Scalley said he felt like his team was outplayed by Iowa State in the second half, particularly in controlling the game. Utah went 1-for-5 on third downs in the second half, and was 3-for-10 for the game.

“They started converting on third downs, and we didn’t,” Scalley said. “As long as they’re getting first downs — and that’s what you saw them getting — they were getting movement and controlling the clock, and then conversely, we weren’t getting those conversions on third down.”

Utah did just enough to quell Iowa State’s comeback attempt, however. Parker caught a touchdown pass with 2:55 remaining to extend the lead to a 31-17 margin.

Utah’s Jackson Bennee intercepted Raynor with 2:46 left in the game to end any hope of a comeback.

“I don’t think that we were flat,” Scalley said. “We just got outplayed. We couldn’t get stops on defense.”

Up next: The Utes have a bye week before taking on Kansas on Saturday, Oct. 10, in Salt Lake City.