Cyclones fighting for another bowl berth in ‘crazy’ Big 12 season

What a season it's been in the final days of Big 12 Conference football as we've known it.

Perennial bottom feeder Baylor led the South Division at the midway point and is bowl eligible for the first time since 1994.

Texas has lost five of its last six games and amazingly is in danger of missing out on the postseason. That's as many losses as it had, combined, in the previous three years.

“I didn't see that coming,” Iowa State safety Mike O'Connell said. “You don't expect that from Texas.”

Missouri opened the year with seven straight wins and reached the top 10, but has come back down to earth with back-to-back, unimpressive losses.

Last weekend the Cyclones (5-5, 3-3 Big 12) came within a failed PAT fake of upsetting North leader Nebraska, and seeing the league's superpowers - NU, Oklahoma and Texas - all lose on the same day.

The Sooners were No. 1 in the first BCS standings a month ago. Now, they'll likely have to win their Bedlam game with Oklahoma State to be able to play in the conference championship game.

Quite a season already, and there's still a few weeks left.

“It's crazy man,” O'Connell said. “You see it week in and week out. This is a balanced conference this year and you have to be ready to play every time out.”

This afternoon ISU faces last-place Colorado, which added even more intrigue to this outrageous final season of the league. Coach Dan Hawkins was let go and replaced on an interim basis by longtime assistant Brian Cabral. The Buffs, who are headed to the Pac-10 starting next season, were 19-39 under Hawkins and are coming off maybe the worst collapse in program history last weekend in a 52-45 loss to Kansas in which the Jayhawks scored 35 fourth-quarter points.

Hawkins' dismissal was hardly a surprise, but could light a fire under a group that is 3-6 overall, 0-5 in the league and desperately needs something positive to happen over its final three games.

ISU Coach Paul Rhoads knows he'll get an inspired effort from the home team.

“I know with my group of kids how they'd respond (to CU's situation),” Rhoads said. “They'll play their tails off. That's what we'll count on from Colorado.”

The Buffs are one of nine schools nationally who still are winless in conference play.

“They still have a lot to play for,” ISU offensive tackle Kelechi Osemele said. “They want to prove they are a Big 12 team. I'm sure we'll get their best game.”If recent history is any indication, it'll be a close one.

Colorado has dominated the series over the last several years, owning a 22-4 mark dating back to 1984. The disparity is worse for ISU when on the road. The Buffs have won 12 of the last 13 (2000) in Boulder.

Hawkins won't be on the sidelines, but his son, Cody, is the team's only healthy quarterback. Colorado will be looking to play spoiler just as much as trying to win for itself.

ISU is one win away from being bowl eligible for the second straight season.

“I'm sure they are going out trying to get as many wins as they can with their season, whatever they have left of it,” Robinson said. “They are going to fight hard.”