The Cyclone football team got bored with conventional ways of losing. Instead, they decided to dominate the fourth quarter and allow three special teams snafus to cost them the game.

The good

Ground game

The ISU rushing attack has found its groove heading into Big 12 play. J.J. Bass eclipsed the century mark again, rushing for 134 yards and two touchdowns. In the first four games of the season, the Cyclones are averaging 144 yards per game on the ground – compared to 101.8 yards per game last year.

Air attack

Bret Meyer threw three touchdowns to just one interception and looked comfortable in the pocket. Todd Blythe was worked into the offense with seven grabs for 77 yards and a touchdown. Wallace Franklin and Derrick Catlett each had their first career touchdown.

The bad

No TV

The only way to watch the Cyclones and Rockets at the Glass Bowl was to sign up for Clone Zone on www.cyclones.com and watch it on a computer.

MAC

Going 0-2 versus the Mid-American Conference certainly doesn’t help convince high-caliber recruits to come to Ames. Saturday’s game with Toledo was the classic trap game. Even though they would be the last to admit it, the Cyclone players may have been looking ahead to their date with Nebraska.

The ugly

The last 5:25 of the game

On fourth and one, Iowa State punched the ball into the end zone to suck all of the momentum out of Toledo. Up 35-24 with 5:25 left in the game, only a disaster could keep the Cyclones from their second win of the season. That disaster came in the form of three special teams plays.

Play No. 1

Iowa State kicked off into the hands of Toledo’s Jalen Parmele. Parmele weaved down the right side of the field as every ISU player had a chance to tackle him. It was the slowest kick return for a touchdown I’ve ever seen. The 221-pound running back shed five tackles as he jogged into the end zone to cut the lead to 35-30.

Play No. 2

After Iowa State went three-and-out on the next possession, they brought the punting team in. The snap was low and went past punter Mike Brandtner’s legs. The ball carried 32 yards, trickling into the end zone, and Brandtner tried to scoop it up when he should have kicked it out of the back of the end zone for a safety. You guessed it: Toledo recovers the fumble in the end zone to make it 36-35. In just two minutes, Toledo erased the 11-point deficit.

Play No. 3

After Iowa State put together an impressive drive, they conservatively played for a game-winning field goal with 14 seconds left. Bret Culbertson’s kick was blocked and the ISU special teams pulled off the hat trick for embarrassing plays in the final six minutes.