It’s hard to believe but Iowa State used to be the hunted in the Big 12 North. The changing of the guard between Kansas and Iowa State can be seen in their thrilling overtime game that took place at the end of the regular season in 2005.

With a win over the Jayhawks (5-5), Iowa State (7-3) could have propelled itself to its first-ever Big 12 Championship game, where they would have taken on eventual national champion Texas.

The game was played at Memorial Stadium in Lawrence, Kan., but a large contingent of Cyclone fans made the trip in hopes of seeing history.

The Cyclones were coming off an exhilarating win over No. 22 Colorado that put them in position to win the North outright.

In fact, Iowa State was in the midst of a four-game Big 12 winning streak, a run that continues to be tied for the longest in school history. In their four game winning streak over Oklahoma State, Texas A&M, Kansas State and Colorado, the Cyclones outscored their opponents 154-57.

Unfortunately for Iowa State, Kansas needed the win to become bowl eligible for only the second time under coach Mark Mangino.

The 24-21 Kansas overtime victory turned out to be a huge turning point for both programs.

The Cyclones missed out on an opportunity at the Big 12 Championship game and a possible invitation to the Alamo Bowl.

With the ISU loss, Colorado limped into the Championship game and got handled by Texas 70-3.

Iowa State’s consolation prize was a trip to the Texas Bowl to take on No. 13 TCU. The Cyclones lost the game by a field goal as well, this time 27-24.

Kansas rode the wave of their victory over Iowa State all the way to the Fort Worth Bowl, where Kansas beat Houston for Mangino’s first bowl win as a head coach.

Since the 2005 loss to Kansas, Iowa State fired former coach Dan McCarney and compiled a record of 9-20, including a 3-13 record in the Big 12.

Kansas’ fortunes have been quite the opposite in that same period of time. The Jayhawks have since won the Orange Bowl and played to the tune of 22-8, with a 10-6 record in the Big 12.

“They’re at the point right now in their program where they just move on to the next pack of guys playing and really don’t drop off. Coach Mangino has got the program to that point,” said coach Gene Chizik.

It was Kansas’ 41-10 victory over Iowa State in 2006 that resulted in former coach McCarney’s forced resignation. In 2007, Chizik got his first taste of the Jayhawks, which was a 45-7 drubbing of the Cyclones.

Injury report

Chizik said starting linebacker Michael Bibbs — knee — and center Mike Knapp — appendicitis — are “very questionable” for this Saturday’s game.

Bibbs was injured Sept. 20 in the first quarter against UNLV. Knapp got sick during the week prior to the game and did not make the trip.

No timetable has been given for either’s return, and Chizik said they are both “day-to-day.”

Game to be broadcast on Versus

Saturday’s game versus No. 16 Kansas will be televised nationally on the Versus Channel. Iowa State has never lost on Versus before, but the station is only in its second season of broadcasting college football games. Last year, Iowa State upset Iowa 15-13 on the station as well as Kansas State 31-20 while on Versus.