The severe weather passed before kickoff of the Iowa State-Colorado football game Saturday, but a pounding wind wreaked havoc on both teams all game.

With gusts reaching 45 miles per hour and a steady wind throughout all four quarters, both teams’ kicking games were on display.

With so much weight on their shoulders, neither kicker flinched.

Iowa State’s Bret Culbertson and Colorado’s Mason Crosby each made three field goals. Culbertson’s 30-yard field goal in the second quarter came into the teeth of the wind.

Crosby, a unanimous first-team all-Big 12 selection last season as a sophomore, hit a 57-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.

“I saw him hit one in pregame from 52 yards – into the wind with room to spare,” said ISU coach Dan McCarney in his weekly Big 12 coaches’ teleconference. “He’s as good as I’ve ever seen.”

With the wind blowing directly to the north, Iowa State had the wind at its back to begin the game. Playing with the wind allowed the Cyclones to establish a rhythm and move the ball early.

The Cyclones went up 13-0 with 14:48 remaining in the second quarter, forcing Colorado to play catch-up.

“We were fortunate to get off to a good start,” McCarney said. “That wind, for punters, kickers and throwers was a real big factor.”

Along with the weather, the Cyclones had to battle a Colorado run defense that ranks first in the nation, allowing just 77 yards per game on the ground.

The Buffaloes held the ISU run game in check, as it gained just 36 yards.

Running back Stevie Hicks, coming off two consecutive 100-yard games, could only muster 27 yards rushing.

“He wasn’t able to do much,” McCarney said of Hicks. “Colorado’s run defense is one of the better ones in the country and we weren’t able to run the ball very well.”

Hicks injured himself late in the game, although McCarney said the injury is nothing to worry about.

“He’s just fine,” McCarney said. “He’ll practice this week and, barring practice injuries, he’ll definitely be ready to go for Kansas.”

The win over Colorado kept Iowa State’s Big 12 North title hopes alive. If Missouri loses to Kansas State and Colorado falls to Nebraska, the Cyclones can win the division with a win over Kansas.

“We’ve done our part up to this point and we need to keep it going in two weeks against Kansas,” ISU receiver Todd Blythe said. “It’s not entirely in our hands, but we’re going to do our part.”

The win also meant a lot to the 20 seniors who played their last game at Jack Trice Stadium.

“That’s what you play for,” said sophomore quarterback Bret Meyer. “I almost enjoy that more than winning our seventh game, to see those guys in the locker room with their tears of happiness. I’m just glad I could be a part of it.”

For the fifth consecutive week, an ISU player was named Big 12 Player of the Week at his position. This time it was Brent Curvey, whose interception return for a touchdown put the game out of reach.

“He had an outstanding game for us,” McCarney said. “His interception return was a huge, huge play. He played well throughout the game, all four quarters.”

Hicks and Blythe earned the offensive honor earlier in the season, while Steve Paris and LaMarcus Hicks have been the conference’s defensive selection.

Punter Troy Blankenship earned special teams player of the week honors in week two against Iowa.