Memo to the Cyclone bowl train: Slow down.

Even with the ISU football team one game away from being bowl eligible, the Cyclones are doing all they can to treat the upcoming game against Kansas State like any other game.

And yes, even the team knows “just another game” is the oldest cliche in the book.

“It’s there. People know it’s there,” said safety Nik Moser before smiling and bringing out the team’s new favorite cliche: “You still have to focus on K-State.”

With Iowa State controlling its own postseason destiny, the team is cautiously looking forward.

Iowa State travels to Manhattan to play Kansas State on Saturday, followed by its home finale the following weekend against Missouri.

“Obviously, we have to take it one game at a time and everything else will take care of itself,” said center Luke Vander Sanden. “It’s a player’s dream to be in the position we are in now, and if it wasn’t, then you would be selling yourself short.”

Even though the Cyclones are trying to stay away from talking about their postseason chances, head coach Dan McCarney knows something special could be in store for his team.

“A lot has been written about the Detroit Pistons and the Boston Red Sox,” McCarney said. “Can it be the Iowa State Cyclones? I just know we have an opportunity the next two Saturdays that every Iowa State football player would love to have.”

A trip to the Big 12 Championship would be uncharted waters for Iowa State, which has never represented the Big 12 North in the conference championship.

“I think the kids understand there are some opportunities that lie ahead in the next 11 days that every person in the history of Iowa State football would love to have,” McCarney said. “Do we seize the moment? Do we take advantage of the opportunity? Do we rewrite the book, write a chapter that has never been written before?

“November will be so critical on how this team will be remembered and the legacy and history that will be written about this team. We’ve done a lot of things nobody expected us to do, but the best is yet ahead.”

McCarney also said the possibility of a bowl game and a spot in the Big 12 Championship aren’t used as motivational tools.

“I’m not talking to them about it,” McCarney said. “After the Nebraska game, I said, ‘Here’s where we stand — here’s where we are and the other teams are.’ When it’s all over, as I told the kids back in August, we will count ’em up and see where we’re at.”

Still, there is some incentive to perform.

“We all know it’s a hell of a lot warmer other places than Ames come December,” McCarney said. “We’d sure like to be there.”

With two games remaining in the season, there are several different and equally complex scenarios that could send the Cyclones into postseason play.

There are 16 different scenarios that come into play in the Big 12 North, with seven of them favoring Iowa State.

Here are five:

First, if Iowa State wins its final two games, a trip to the championship and a bowl birth are secured.

A win over either Kansas State or Missouri will make the Cyclones eligible for bowl selection.

If Missouri loses to Kansas and Iowa State beats Kansas State, the Cyclones are in the championship.

A Nebraska win over Colorado and a Cyclone victory over Missouri gives Iowa State the North.

And finally, if Iowa State fails to win either of its final two games its season will end.