The Iowa State Cyclones are reeling.

On a three-game losing streak, the Cyclones will try to right the ship with a victory on Homecoming against the Oklahoma State Cowboys.

The teams come in with identical 3-3 (0-3 Big 12) records and, in some respects, the same problems.

The Cyclones fell to Missouri last weekend 27-24 in overtime, committing three costly turnovers that put the team in an early hole.

Oklahoma State also struggled with holding onto the football last week with its game at Texas A&M, turning the ball over seven times in a 62-23 defeat.

“Oklahoma State’s going to come into this game as hungry as we are,” said ISU coach Dan McCarney. “They had success in the nonconference season like we did, and they’ve struggled in the conference race. We can relate [to them] with the three turnovers that we had last week. They had more than double that.”

The Cyclones come into the game banged up both physically and emotionally. Iowa State has been reduced to starting third-string tailback Greg Coleman because of injuries to top tailbacks Stevie Hicks and Jason Scales.

McCarney said Scales’ progress is slow and he will likely be redshirted. Hicks, on the other hand, has made improvement and is questionable for the Homecoming game.

McCarney said Hicks will play if he feels he can, otherwise they will sit him for another week.

The toll on the team’s psyche has been great lately as well. In the three-game losing streak, Iowa State has fallen in double overtime at Nebraska, at home to Baylor and overtime last week at Missouri, and McCarney said the team is glad to be home.

“We’re looking forward to the Homecoming game this weekend,” he said. “We didn’t play as well as we should have the last time we were home. It will be a very tough, physical football game, and we’re looking forward to it.”

The offense, described last week by Coleman as being cursed, is also looking to get back on track. Turnovers have overshadowed the play of the offense, which has shown flashes of solid play before the momentum is killed by another mistake.

ISU receiver Todd Blythe said the offense has recognized that problem and is confident the Cyclones can turn it around.

“We had a couple quarters last week where we looked like a real good offense – the offense we’re capable of being,” Blythe said.

“It’s just a matter of eliminating the mistakes and turnovers that are killing us right now.”

ISU quarterback Bret Meyer said as the quarterback and the leader of the offense a lot of the responsibility falls on him, but he isn’t panicking.

“We feel confident,” Meyer said. “We know that we’re in position to make plays. We do everything right but then we don’t make the play. It’s just a matter of closing the deal. We can still be 8-3 this year, so there’s no reason to be frustrated.”

With five games remaining, Iowa State must go at least 3-2 to make bowl eligibility. Two of those remaining five games are on the road – Texas A&M, Kansas – and McCarney said the turnaround needs to start with a victory on Homecoming.

“If we take care of the ball and did what we should’ve done we wouldn’t be sitting here going, ‘God, what’s wrong with Iowa State?'” McCarney said. “We did not take care of the ball and have to get this ship where we want it.

“We’re going to start a new season starting this week and see if we can make a heck of a run to finish the year.”