Three years and so far three signature wins for the ISU football team under third-year head coach Paul Rhoads. In 2009, it was an 9-7 win at Nebraska, last season a 28-21 road win at Texas and just 20 days ago a 44-41 triple-overtime win over in-state rival Iowa.

Putting aside the effect of how recent the Iowa win came, the most surprising of all three was the win over Texas in 2010.

The Cyclones (3-4) had been completely outplayed in the two weeks prior, a 68-27 home loss to Utah and a 52-0 shutout loss at Oklahoma. Texas (4-2) on the other hand entered the game following a rebound win at No. 5 Nebraska following losses to UCLA and Oklahoma.

Iowa State jumped out to a 28-6 lead and held off a late Texas comeback as players doused Rhoads in another YouTube sensation post-game celebration (See: 2009 win over Nebraska) and fans gathered at the Bergstrom indoor facility awaiting the first ISU squad to beat Texas.

What followed for Texas was a 1-4 finish to the season, its first losing season since 1997, and no bowl invitation after a 13-1 season and national runners-up finish in 2009.

Did many people give the Cyclones at chance in Austin after being throttled by Utah and Oklahoma? Not many, if any. However, as the two teams prepare to square off this Saturday in Ames the Cyclones will not be flying under the radar.

What was a game between a 3-4 and 4-2 team in 2010 will now be one of six matchups in college football this weekend that pits undefeated BCS conference opponents against each other as both teams are 3-0. Both teams are also coming off of bye weeks during which they were able to rest key injured players as they gear up for the Big 12 conference schedule.

The Longhorns enter the game ranked as the No. 17 team in the nation, but the Cyclones are knocking on the door of a top 25 ranking. Iowa State hasn’t been ranked since week four of the 2005 season, two weeks after beating No. 8 Iowa 23-3.

That was the last time Iowa State beat a ranked team in Jack Trice Stadium, another accomplishment that lies ahead for the Cardinal and Gold on Saturday.

Coming into the season, hardly any – including us – prognosticators had Iowa State undefeated going into Texas. But now, 4-0 isn’t far out of the realm of possibility.

The last time Iowa State started a season 4-0? The 2000 season in which the Cyclones went 9-3 (5-3 in Big 12) and finished third in the Big 12 North behind only No. 9 Kansas State, 11-3 (6-2 Big 12) and No. 8 Nebraska, 10-2 (6-2 Big 12).

Not to over-hype, but this very well could be one of the biggest games ever for the ISU football program.

According to a news release from the ISU athletics department, the game on Saturday is a sellout, which marks the third in a row at Jack Trice Stadium, something that’s never been done before. The department also said the three-game attendance record will likely be shattered, the previous best being approximately 154,000.

They anticipate that number going over 166,000 after the Texas game.

On top of that, the Cyclones could legitimize their 3-0 start, and quiet, at least for a time, many critics and people who couldn’t ever consider Iowa State as being in Texas’ league.

Even Texas didn’t have much respect for Iowa State before last year. In all, 24 players on the roster from the state of Texas, and 131 total, weren’t recruited by Texas in any fashion. If last year was a “look at us now” game for those players, then this year could be the exclamation point at the end of that sentence.

Excitement surrounding this team has not been higher in quite some time. If Iowa State beats Texas on Saturday, you’ll see a bigger party than any VEISHEA ever held.