When Oklahoma visits Jack Trice Stadium this weekend, everyone will be asking one question: How will Iowa State beat No. 1 Oklahoma? There is, however, a more important question — How will anybody beat them?

“Bobby Stoops is part of a national championship program down there,” ISU head football coach Dan McCarney said Tuesday.

“There’s no doubt when you watch them on tape that’s what he has again this year.”

The Cyclones enter this week coming off two straight losses. After dismantling a talented UCLA team 59-24 two weeks ago, the Sooners had a week off to prepare for their Big 12 opener against Iowa State.

“We’re an underdog all the way,” quarterback Austin Flynn said.

If all players were healthy, this week’s game would be tough. With Hiawatha Rutland out for the season after tearing his left anterior cruciate ligament against Northern Illinois, the daunting task of knocking off the No. 1 team in the nation is even tougher.

“[Rutland] will have surgery next week,” McCarney said. “We really, really wish him well in his recovery. His spirits are really better than you’d expect.”

Reserve linebacker Jimmy Morris, a redshirt freshman, will also miss the season after tearing his ACL during a practice last week.

The Cyclones did receive good injury updates. Senior starting defensive tackle Jordan Carstens is listed as day-to-day after a magnetic resonance imaging test on Monday showed a knee injury he sustained against Northern Illinois did not need surgery.

“Had there been surgery with a major injury there, he would have been done for the year,” McCarney said.

“We all deal with that in college football. This is the most [injuries] we’ve had early in the year.”

McCarney also said the Cyclones will get junior punter Tony Yelk back into the lineup this weekend.

Special teams will again be important for the Cyclones when they face dangerous punt returner Antonio Perkins. Against UCLA, Perkins set an NCAA record for punt return yards in a single game on his way to set another record by returning three punts for touchdowns.

“If he happens to return one for a touchdown against us,” McCarney said, “I’ll promise you we won’t be kicking it to him again.

“To kick it right down the middle of the field against a guy like that — we’re crazy to do that.”

McCarney said team play, among other things, will be the key to winning Saturday’s game.

“Our best chance is really to function as a team,” McCarney said. “Austin can’t go out there and feel like he’s going to out-athlete Oklahoma’s defense. That’s just not going to happen.”

Although playing the No. 1 team might intimidate some teams, Cyclone players say they are ready to play Oklahoma.

“It’s a great opportunity for this football team,” senior placekicker Adam Benike said.

“Our goal is to win. Hopefully, we’ll do that.”

Senior defensive back Johnny Smith, who Saturday played for the first time this season, said Iowa State is more ready for this year’s matchup against Oklahoma than they were for last year’s. He said the team is more balanced than last year’s team.

“We’ve been fighting harder than ever,” he said.

Smith said Iowa State will be ready to play Saturday for the 6 p.m. CDT nationally televised game, rallying behind Flynn.

“He is the leader of this team, and he will lead this team,” Smith said.