Thirteen years ago, Daniel Pottratz was at Jack Trice Stadium as a member of the ISU Cyclone Football “Varsity” Marching Band. Now, the 32-year-old from Des Moines is watching Cyclone games from the stands with his wife and two children.

Although he has a different seat, Pottratz is seeing the same thing he saw his freshman year at Iowa State – losses.

“I know what it’s like to suffer,” Pottratz said.

Pottratz and many of his ISU classmates did plenty of suffering during fall 1994 as they watched the Cyclones finish 0-10-1. The closest Iowa State came to a victory was in week seven as the Cyclones tied Oklahoma State, 31-31.

These days, current Cyclone fans are seeing a lot of things Pottratz did that season, as Iowa State has dropped the first two games of Gene Chizik’s career as head coach. With major BCS opponents Oklahoma and Texas still on the schedule, some Cyclone fans are having second thoughts about coming back to Jack Trice Stadium this season.

“This has been the worst experience of my life,” said Zachary Kuecker, junior in mechanical engineering, after Saturday’s game.

Kuecker, a season ticket holder, said after the 0-2 start he’s looking for other things to do on Saturdays.

“I would rather be studying at the library than at a game,” he said.

Although James Doebelin, junior in interdisciplinary studies, said he won’t be studying, he may be done going to games after the Cyclones play bigger opponents like the Hawkeyes, Sooners and Longhorns.

“Play good football and I’ll come back,” Doebelin said.

Other fans say they’ll come back regardless of how the rest of the season goes. Ed Coffman, 70, of West Des Moines, has had season tickets for 30 years. He said the Cyclones have room for improvement, but he’ll come with the typical group of six to eight friends, regardless of Iowa State’s record.

“I’ll be supportive,” Coffman said. “I’ve followed them though some thin years.”

Deanna Clark, freshman in political science, hasn’t seen any thin years, but she said she expected this kind of start to the season and still looks forward to Cyclone games.

“This happens,” Clark said of the losses. “You’ve got to be with them through the good and the bad.”

The start of this year has mirrored that of Pottratz’s freshman year.

“I’m not going to give up on them,” Pottratz said. “I’ve been with them through the lean years.”