Cyclones seek first Sooner state sweep since 1961

AMES - Boom, Sooner?

Another potential milestone awaits Iowa State in today's 11 a.m. FX-televised game at No. 12 Oklahoma.

For one, the Cyclones haven't beaten the Sooners since 1990, or when defensive end Patrick Neal was two years old.

Two, ISU  - a four touchdown underdog, again - could attain its first sweep of its conference rivals in the Sooner state since 1961.

Roger Maris became the first major league player in history to hit 61 home runs that October.

Paul “Bear” Bryant earned his first national championship as Alabama's head coach in his fourth season at the helm a few months later.

Plainly put: Beating both those Oklahoma schools in the same season last happened 50 years ago, before the parents of many ISU players had been born.

“A lot of history out there,” said Cyclone coach Paul Rhoads, whose bowl-eligible team (6-4, 3-4 Big 12) comes off last Friday's stirring 37-31 double-overtime win over then-No. 2 Oklahoma State. “And we're closing with three teams in the top 15. We've knocked of the No. 2 team in the country, something that has never been done in the history of Iowa State football before. And there's more big wins potentially out there.”

Just like last week, Rhoads figures a well-honed effort from his team must be paired with miscues from the Sooners (8-2, 5-2), who despite losing all-American wide receiver Ryan Broyles to injury, retain hopes for a Big 12 title and noteworthy BCS bowl berth.

“It would be monumental,” Rhoads said of the magnitude of a possible upset in Norman. “I promise you. We'll be approaching it that way and our kids know they are decided underdogs for good reason.”

Even with Broyles out, top NFL prospect Landry Jones remains at quarterback.

The reigning Sammy Baugh Award winner averages 380 yards passing per game this season and has thrown 92 career touchdown passes to 36 interceptions.

“Another great quarterback,” said ISU linebacker A.J. Klein, who earned Big 12 defensive player of the week honors after recording 14 tackles in the upset win over the Cowboys. “Playmakers at the running back position. Kenny Stills, another great wide receiver. Again, another complete opponent we have to defend against.”

About that Cyclone defense ...

In the past three weeks, it's allowed a total of 41 offensive points from teams - Texas Tech, Kansas, and Oklahoma State - averaging a combined 106.4 points per game.

What's gone right?

Let veteran defensive coordinator Wally Burnham explain.

“Very seldom during practice do we have to encourage effort,” said Burnham, who served as an assistant on Florida State's 1993 national title team. “Good teams, you don't have to encourage effort. You correct things, you correct technique, you correct assignments and things like that. But I think our preparation is one thing and then there's the execution of what we're doing. It's, ‘OK, coach. I heard you say this and I tried it and it really works - instead of trying to do it my way.' I think they've bought into those things, too.”

A reinvigorated offense helps.

ISU scored 37-plus points for the third time this season and quarterback Jared Barnett totaled 460 yards of offense while throwing a career-best three touchdown passes against the Cowboys.

But all that's in the past now.

“Coach Rhoads talks about taking the hangover pill, so you're not focused on last week,” said Barnett, who also threw two interceptions, including a pick six. “Making sure you just put it behind you.”

The buzz around the program will linger, however - win or lose Saturday.

The Cyclones are bowl bound for the second time in three seasons under Rhoads and in hot pursuit of their first four-game conference win streak since 2005.

“Why go to a bowl game at 6-6?” ISU safety Ter'Ran Benton said. “Why not 8-4?”