Iowa State isn’t used to playing football in December.

Since the Cyclones first game in 1892, Iowa State has played only 11 times in the final month of the year – suiting up for two regular-season and nine bowl games.

As it stands, the ISU regular season extends only to Nov. 18, but the possibility of a postseason is once again within the Cyclone football team’s reach.

The benchmark the Cyclones have set for themselves is simple: a trip to Kansas City, Mo. the first weekend in December for the Big 12 Conference championship game.

“I don’t set a whole lot of personal goals, but one goal I have is to get to Kansas City,” said junior receiver Todd Blythe.

The goal isn’t anything new for the Cyclones, who have controlled their chances to play for the conference crown the past two seasons, only to come up short in their final regular-season matchups.

Two seasons ago it was an overtime loss to Missouri that allowed Colorado to steal the Big 12 North title away from Iowa State, and an overtime loss at Kansas last season sent the Cyclones home one weekend before they wanted.

Iowa State finished 7-5 last season, posting a 4-4 mark in Big 12 play.

Although the close calls have been frustrating, the Cyclones have embraced them as determination.

“It’s motivation,” Blythe said. “We’ve used that all offseason to get over the hump and make the plays when we need to.”

A trip to the Big 12 Championship game would not only give Iowa State a chance for its first conference title since the Teddy Roosevelt administration, it would most likely guarantee another Cyclone bowl game.

Iowa State has been to five bowls in the past six seasons, which total more postseason appearances for the team since 2000 than were made in the entire previous century.

Even so, the road to Kansas City and the postseason might not be an easy one.

Although the Cyclones do have 10 starters returning on offense, only four starters on defense are back for head coach Dan McCarney.

The offense is loaded with weapons – led by preseason all-Big 12 selections Blythe and quarterback Bret Meyer, as well as a healthy Stevie Hicks and senior receivers Austin Flynn and Jon Davis – but the defense is filled with question marks.

Highlights include defensive lineman Brent Curvey and cornerback DeAndre Jackson, who are all-Big 12 preseason selections, and Shawn Moorehead and Adam Carper, who saw significant time for a Cyclone team that led the Big 12 in turnover margin last season and gave up an average of 102 yards rushing each game.

The rest of the defense is up for grabs.

Thirteen underclassmen are listed on Iowa State’s defensive depth chart, with three seniors occupying starting spots.

Three starters from last season’s defense, Tim Dobbins, Nick Leaders and Steve Paris, are currently in NFL training camps. Four other starters graduated while two others, Jason Berryman and Matt Robertson, were removed from the team.

“I won’t give my defense an excuse for failure just because we don’t have all those starters back,” McCarney said. “We don’t expect a big dropoff.”

McCarney said he would not allow players to become complacent. “Those kids on defense have a lot of pride. We’re going to coach just as hard, and our expectations on defense are going to be just as high,” he said.

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-ÿFrom ISD: McCarney discusses new strategy, roster