There’s good news and bad news for the ISU football team.

Bad news first, OK?

The bad news is the Cyclones are 0-4 in the Big 12, 3-5 overall. They are on a three-game losing streak and their 26 points against Texas Tech on Saturday was the first time they had scored more than 20 points against a Division I-A opponent since their opening game win over Toledo.

Enough of that, how about some good news?

Things can’t get any worse.

“We have to stay focused and get a win,” said linebacker Alvin Bowen. “We have to get that feeling of winning back.”

Iowa State’s brutal schedule of Texas, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas Tech is over, leaving the team’s final four games against a much weaker Big 12 North.

Iowa State’s first four conference opponents have a combined 11-4 conference record and a 23-8 overall mark. The Cyclones next four – Kansas State, Kansas, Colorado and Missouri – have only been able to manage a 15-17 record so far this season and are a sub-par 5-11 in the Big 12.

“We’re still coaching and playing and preparing for a winning season and postseason opportunities,” said coach Dan McCarney. “We’re going to do everything we can to get there.”

The goal now for the Cyclones is to finish their season strong. Seven wins assures a team a trip to the postseason while six wins has a team sitting on the bowl bubble.

Iowa State can still make it to seven wins by running the table, and with both Kansas teams and a struggling Colorado still on its schedule, Iowa State may make its sixth bowl game in seven years.

“We still have a lot to play for,” Bowen said. “That’s what we’re focused on.

“We’re trying to focus on one game at a time. We’re trying to get that first win and get a snowball effect going.”

Iowa State’s recent struggles have also placed McCarney on the hot seat. After 12 seasons with the Cyclones, fans are getting restless with Iowa State’s inability to score points or make stops on defense.

All the rumblings through Cyclone Nation have McCarney’s players a little defensive.

“People are going to criticize,” Bowen said. “If people really sit down and looked at how much Coach Mac has done since he’s been here, they would realize that, and people might take a more lenient side to it.

“Coach Mac has done a lot for Iowa State. Coach Mac has done a lot that Iowa State hasn’t done before; he’s taken Iowa State to where it hasn’t been. I’m hoping Cyclone fans can bear with us, stick with us through the good and the bad.”

One of the things being done to try to change Iowa State’s fortunes is another modification in the defensive secondary.

Freshman Drenard Williams will get the start at cornerback.

Iowa State also has James Smith back at safety. He made two tackles in his season debut against Texas Tech after breaking his ankle in fall practice.

“We’re frustrated with our record, but we can’t give up. We have four more games to play and we can still have a winning record,” Smith said.