Dan McCarney’s final road game as ISU head coach comes in one of the toughest places in the conference to get a win.

In 12 seasons in Ames, McCarney has beaten Colorado just twice and owns just one win in Boulder, a 35-27 victory in 2000.

“We are going to go to Boulder and do everything we can to have one last shining moment on the road out there in the Rocky Mountains,” McCarney said.

If there is one game the Cyclones can win this season, it would be this one. Colorado has struggled getting adjusted to new head coach Dan Hawkins’ system and comes into the game with a 1-9 record.

“Colorado is really playing hard,” McCarney said. “The real mark of a football coach is how hard his kids are playing through the losses. They’re 1-9 right now, but they sure don’t play like a 1-9 team.”

The Buffaloes’ one win this season came over Texas Tech, and four of their losses are against ranked opponents, including a 14-13 loss to then-No. 9 Georgia that the Bulldogs won in the closing seconds.

Colorado is dead last in the Big 12 offensively, scoring just 15 points per game. But its defense is impressive, giving up 21 points on average and allowing just 105 yards rushing, good for third in the league.

“They’re real good tacklers and don’t give up many big plays,” McCarney said. “This is a real good Colorado defense. When they’ve been in the [Big 12] Championship four of the last five years, they’ve done it because of their defense.”

Even though Iowa State is out of the race for a bowl, the team still has plenty to play for.

The Cyclones are playing for a coach who many believe rebuilt the program from the ground up, taking it to five bowl games in the last seven years.

McCarney resigned as head coach Wednesday night, but he will still stay on to coach through the end of the season.

Iowa State will also be playing for its 21 seniors, most of whom will never play football again when the season ends.

“I have two games left in my career before I hang ’em [up],” said senior receiver Austin Flynn. “I want to go out with a W. That’s my motivation – going out with two W’s to end my career.”

For his part, McCarney deflected the idea that the final two games of the season should be played for him, instead wanting to get two wins for his players.

“The focus now should be on this team the last two games and these great seniors,” McCarney said. “They deserve all of our support the last two weeks and I hope the great Iowa State fans – and there are so many of you – will show the appreciation of these young men in our final home game here against Missouri a week from Saturday.”

The ISU-Colorado game is set for 2 p.m. It will not be televised.