Opportunity knocks for the Cyclone football team this Saturday, at least in ISU head coach Dan McCarney¡s eyes.

After years of losing games by large margins to Nebraska, there is confidence within the ISU program that this could be the year Iowa State beats the Huskers.

While at Iowa State, McCarney has never had his team beat a ranked opponent.

He said this weekend sets up something that could be very positive, but doesn¡t put any more pressure on him.

It puts you in a position to go some places we¡ve never been, by winning that game, and it puts you in a position to be a part of some history and hopefully some memories in this program that people will want to relive and talk about for a long time,Œ McCarney said.

That¡s the opportunity we have. It¡s not pressure to me, it¡s an opportunity, and let¡s make the most of it.Œ

The last time the Cyclones beat Nebraska was in 1992. McCarney wasn¡t at Iowa State then, but remembers the embarrassing losses he endured from the Huskers since taking the job in 1995.

He said for some of the games, there was nothing he could say to his players that would overcome the ability on the other side of the football.

No matter what I told my kids, there was just a physical mismatch, talent-wise, ability, strength and physicalness ¢ in our earlier years especially,Œ McCarney said. They just slobber-knocked us, that¡s what they¡ve done.Œ

Slobber-knockedΠmight be an understatement.

McCarney¡s first year on the job included a trip to Lincoln and a 73-14 drubbing.

Two years later, back in Huskerland, it was a 63-point margin.

In 2000, Iowa State trailed the Huskers 21-20 with 11 minutes remaining, but Nebraska exploded for a 28-point fourth quarter to win 49-27.

There have been some changes from last year¡s Nebraska team, which was a national championship contender, including the emergence of first-year quarterback Jammal Lord, but McCarney is still wary of the Huskers, especially their running game and defensive line.

Iowa State¡s defense is allowing 139 yards per game on the ground, but the Huskers average 255 rushing yards per game to lead the Big 12 and rank seventh nationally.

Something has to give, and McCarney just hopes his team can have the control Penn State did when they beat the Huskers 40-7 on Sept. 14.

There¡s no way that we can go into this game and stop them ¢ it¡s not going to happen,Œ McCarney said about the Nebraska ground game.

Penn State didn¡t stop them either, but they slowed them down, then made some real big plays and got some turnovers.Œ

ISU linebacker Brandon Brown, who leads the Cyclones with 44 tackles this season, said Nebraska has a complicated offense, mixing the option into a full-power, straight ahead attack.

He said the mistakes the defense has made in past games are directly related to a player or players being out of position on the field.

Everybody has to be accountable for where they need to be and when they need to be there,Œ Brown said. Timing is real important. If you¡re one step late, they¡ll be up the field for an 80-yard touchdown.Œ

McCarney said the Huskers still have the full attention of his team, despite their big loss at Penn State.

He said he knows what the Huskers are capable of, and a week off after a loss doesn¡t help matters.

A lot of that stuff gets lost in the shuffle of one score that got out of hand for them at Penn State,ΠMcCarney said.

We¡re not one bit misled. We know that this is going to be an outstanding Nebraska team that comes in here very hungry to play us.Œ