The ISU football team has backed itself into a corner, and the team will spend its week trying to find a way out of its two-game skid.

Losses at Nebraska and at home to Baylor sent the Cyclones to 0-2 in the Big 12, landing them at the bottom of the conference standings.

Iowa State and Kansas are the only two teams in the North Division that haven’t won a conference game this season.

Coming into the game in Ames, Baylor had never won a Big 12 road game and had just six conference wins total.

“They’re an improved football team,” ISU coach Dan McCarney said in his weekly Big 12 coaches teleconference. “We have great respect for their program. There’s no fluke to them being 4-1, they’re a good football team.”

Even though Baylor’s history is nothing to be proud of, they controlled the game almost from start to finish.

“They earned the win and they deserved to win,” McCarney said. “We have to take better care of the football. That’s very uncharacteristic of our program over the years. People beat you, but don’t beat yourselves. Baylor made the plays, we didn’t, and they deserved to win the football game.”

The Bears forced two ISU fumbles, one of which was recovered in the end zone for a touchback.

Running back Greg Coleman extended the ball toward the goal line, and it was knocked loose. The play was reviewed in the booth, but not overturned.

McCarney pointed to that as a play that changed the game.

“There was definitely a fumble and we have to do a better job of protecting the football,” McCarney said. “You don’t want to turn the ball over no matter where you’re at on the field – of all places on the one-yard line. We knock that in and the extra point and we’re up 20-10. We didn’t do it. Baylor knocked the ball out and they deserved to win the game.”

Iowa State has committed six turnovers in the red zone this season.

With starting running back Stevie Hicks and his backup Jason Scales out with injuries, the Cyclones were forced to use fourth-string Jason Harris against Baylor.

The freshman from Clearwater, Fla., carried the football five times for 25 yards in his first collegiate game.

“I was real proud of Jason on Saturday; he did some good things when he was in the game and he’ll continue to get more playing time as the season goes on,” McCarney said.

Harris will continue to split time with Coleman, who rushed for 91 yards. McCarney said Harris has worked hard to gain the playing time.

Although the plan was to redshirt Harris this season, he has been pressed into service early.

Harris was a standout running back in high school, but made more noise on defense, where he was a first team all-state defensive back. The Cyclones recruited him to play running back, a position at which he is already making an impact.

Harris picked Iowa State over North Carolina, opting to come to the Midwest for his collegiate years.

“Jason and his family felt very good about our program and that we were going to take good care of him and that this could be a second family for him, a home away from home,” McCarney said.

Harris will get another chance to play this weekend against Missouri. The Tigers are coming off a 38-31 victory over Oklahoma State and hold a 1-1 record in conference play.

Missouri is led by quarterback Brad Smith.

“I don’t know if I’ve respected a player more in my years of coaching in the Big 12 than Brad Smith,” McCarney said. “He’s really, really special.

“It’s going to be a major challenge for us. There is a lot of season left and a lot to play for. We’re hoping to correct our mistakes and come back and play better football this week.”