The ISU football team will try to put last week’s crushing loss at Texas A&M behind them Saturday when the Kansas State Wildcats pay a visit to Jack Trice Stadium.

The Cyclones fell 24-21 to the 24th-ranked Aggies last Saturday at College Station, with four missed field goals being one glaring reason for the loss.

This weekend presents another opportunity for the Cyclones to clinch a second straight winning season. In their way is a Wildcat program that Cyclone Head Coach Dan McCarney has not beaten in six tries.

“We had a great effort at A&M, but came up a little short, but we’re going to move on,” McCarney said. “Kansas State is a fine football team. We’re underdogs at home, and I like that.”

The Cyclones outplayed the Aggies in almost every statistical category in the loss. Seneca Wallace put forth a stellar effort completing 30-of-46 passes for 348 yards, good for fourth best in school history.

Running the ball was a different story as the Cyclones managed just 97 yards on the ground. Big 12 leading rusher Ennis Haywood will get another stiff test Saturday as the Wildcats allow just 2.3 yards a carry.

“Throwing the ball in the game plan, it always is, but we’re also going to try and get the running game going,” Wallace said.

The Wildcats have been a traditional power over the last eight years, but are 3-4 this season. The Wildcats snapped a four-game losing streak with a 40-6 win over Kansas last weekend.

The Wildcats’ record can be deceiving as the team has lost to Oklahoma, Colorado, Texas A&M and Texas Tech. The combined record of those squads is 24-6.

Last season, the Cyclones were thrashed 56-10 in Manhattan. The Wildcats gained nearly 600 yards of total offense and took a 49-3 lead into halftime.

“They bloodied our noses pretty good down there last year and beat us up,” McCarney said. “I see 30 seniors on their roster and 13 are starting.”

The Wildcats have played two quarterbacks in Ell Roberson and Marc Dunn. Roberson will get the start and be joined in the backfield by tailback Josh Scobey who rushed for 149 yards and four scores against the Cyclones last season.

“They played hard-nosed football and we know it’s going to be a challenge,” ISU defensive lineman Jordan Carstens said. “Scobey has great speed and he’s not afraid to run over people. Roberson can run, so we’re working on the option.”

The Cyclones were 5-2 at this point last year and won their sixth game with a 39-20 win over Missouri at Jack Trice Stadium. The Cyclones have won their last five conference games at home, where they play three of their last four games.

“We’re in the same place we were last year, at 5-2,” McCarney said. “There are some real tough games ahead, but I’m happy we have three of the last four at home, because we have a great environment to play in front of.”