As a clash with the Army Black Knights sits on the horizon, ISU football coach Dan McCarney said the Cyclones’ bye week has not gone without its work ethic.

“Hopefully, we improved in our open week; it’s not an off week,” McCarney said in the weekly Big 12 teleconference. “We’ll find out Friday night if we improved a bit since the Iowa victory, but I was impressed with the focus and the work ethic and the attitude of our team without playing a game last week.”

Despite an unusual gameday, McCarney said the No. 22 Cyclones should be plenty prepared for the Black Knights.

“We’re four days until kickoff. It’s unusual to be playing on a Friday night, but it’s not something that we just found out about a few weeks ago, we’ve known for quite some time,” he said.

Army has had some success in Michie stadium, compiling a 303-128-7 record since 1924, although it is just 21-35-1 at home since 1995, including a 20-10 loss to Baylor on Saturday. Army holds a 1-0 record against the Cyclones, winning 9-7 in 1964.

Army coach Bobby Ross has compiled a 2-11 record with the Black Knights and is in his second season at the helm. Prior to coaching in West Point, he coached at The Citadel, Maryland and Georgia Tech, who shared the national championship with Colorado in 1990. He also led the NFL’s San Diego Chargers to the Super Bowl in 1994.

“Army has a tremendous reputation through the years, and they have a legendary coach in Bobby Ross out there,” McCarney said. “He’s been to the Super Bowl and in a national championship game, and he’s just a tremendous football coach.”

Former Cyclone coach Earle Bruce warned McCarney of Ross’ coaching skills.

“Earle Bruce – I saw him when we brought him back for a fundraiser – told me that in all his years of coaching, that Bobby Ross and his coaching staff were always the best prepared on gameday,” McCarney said.

“We know the challenge that we’re getting into here Friday night.”

The Cyclones look to start the season 3-0, unbeaten in their non-conference schedule. Iowa State last started 3-0 in 2001, with wins against Northern Iowa, Ohio and Baylor.

“We’re improving. We can to try and finish our non-conference season undefeated, but we know we have a major challenge here in the game this week,” McCarney said.

“There are still nine teams undefeated in the Big 12 going into the last weekend of non conference play, and I think all 12 teams, at times, are playing really good football.”

Even with a 3-0 start, many of the other teams in the North have also jumped into positive positions.

Every team in the Big 12 North has started the season undefeated except Missouri, who is 2-1 after a loss to New Mexico. Nebraska and Kansas are 3-0, whereas Colorado, Kansas State and Iowa State sit at 2-0.

“It doesn’t surprise me that the North is off to a real good start; I said that last summer down in media day in Houston, and I think part of the reason the North programs and teams were not as good last year was because of the youth,” McCarney said.

“There were many teams – Iowa State included – who were very young last year, and a lot of those players are coming back to a lot of the coaching staffs. All of the head coaches in the North are back, and there’s no doubt in my mind that the North will be the stronger half of the Big 12 conference this year.”