The ISU football team has never beaten Texas, but this time around, it features something a little different than in the Cyclones’ previous six losses.

Given the Cyclones’ history against Big 12 South division teams, any change is welcome.

Coach Gene Chizik, who was co-defensive coordinator for the Longhorns for the last two years, will meet up with his former team and mentor Mack Brown on Saturday and try to get the Cyclones their first conference victory. Texas is coming in off losses to Kansas State and rival Oklahoma in consecutive weeks.

Chizik said the biggest thing he brings to the table with having coached Texas is knowing the personnel.

“I know the players and who’s capable of doing what,” Chizik said. “That is a little something that we can give to our players.”

The Longhorns (4-2, 0-2 Big 12), who are ranked No. 22 in The Associated Press poll and No. 23 in the coaches’ poll, have been rated in the top 20 in five of the six weeks prior to their game with the Cyclones (1-5, 0-2 Big 12).

The Cyclones have only been ranked going into one of the six games at No. 17, when they lost 21-10 to a No.7 Texas team.

Sophomore defensive back James Smith said the Cyclones know any team can win, no matter the week.

“Whoever comes out to play that day is going to win the game,” Smith said. “We’re going to have a good week of practice and come out to play on Saturday.”

Sophomore linebacker Jesse Smith said the Longhorns and Sooners have a lot of talent, but that does not always win a game.

“It’s the team that goes out there plays the hardest, plays the toughest, and does their job,” Jesse said. “The best team doesn’t always win; it’s the better prepared team and the team that better executes their game plan.

“Anybody can win, and I see us winning Saturday.”

Texas, however, is not the only team in the Big 12 South division Iowa State has struggled against. The Cyclones’ overall record against the South has been 28-111-5 and 18-51-2 at home.

The only South division team that Iowa State owns a winning record against is Baylor, who the Cyclones have beaten four times in seven meetings.

Over half of its wins against the South have come against Oklahoma State, as the Cyclones have posted a 17-23-3 record against the Cowboys, with many of those coming when the two teams were in the Big Eight.

The Cyclones are 1-7 against both Texas Tech and Texas A&M, but Iowa State did win 42-14 in College Station in its last game with the Aggies. The Cyclones have only defeated the tradition-rich Oklahoma Sooners five times in 73 meetings, with the last victory coming in 1990.

Iowa State lost to Texas Tech 42-17 last week, and will meet up with the Sooners next week.

Chizik said keeping the morale up with this team is not a problem.

“You have to be alert and aware of that possibility, but so far that hasn’t happened,” Chizik said.