The Iowa State/Nebraska game had the feel of an upset on Saturday.

It had that feeling when Carl Gomez recovered his own onside kick on the first play of the game.

It had that feeling when Sage Rosenfels hit Craig Campbell for a 53-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter.

It had that feeling when Jamarcus Powers ran an interception back 40 yards for the first defensive touchdown by a Cyclone since Dustin Avey did it against Colorado in 1997.

It had that feeling as the ISU defense held the mighty Husker offense to only one touchdown and two field goals in the first half, en route to a 14-13 lead at the half.

Even after Mike McKnight missed an extra point that would have tied the game at 21 in the third quarter, it still had that feeling that the Cyclones were going to finally round the corner – finally get the one victory that would define the team and make it a legitimate contender.

That feeling all but died, however, in the fourth quarter when a trick play went terribly wrong. Rosenfels did a screen pass to Lane Danielsen who threw another pass, but to the wrong team. The ball was hung up in the wind and picked off by Troy Watchorn.

That was when the wheels fell off of the Cyclone wagon.

But it wasn’t without a lack of effort.

The Cyclones proved they could play with the best the nation had to offer. Nebraska is good, no doubt about it, and Iowa State played within one point of the Huskers for three quarters.

The final score of 49-27 was misleading: The game was much closer. Nebraska scored 28 points in the fourth to give them a lop-sided win.

The score did have a positive: It was the first time since Dan McCarney has been at Iowa State that the Cyclones played within 35 points of the Huskers.

The Cyclones had the wind whipping in their faces during the second and third quarters and still outplayed the Huskers.

But this is all a distant memory. Iowa State can’t talk about the near-misses or the should-have- beens.

It’s time to fix the mistakes and be ready for Oklahoma State.

The Cowboys’ game is big. Iowa State is 4-1, and playing well. If they win on the road, it will solidify them as a bowl contender and not only a team that could win six games, but a team that could challenge for seven or eight.

Penalties killed Iowa State Those mistakes need to be addressed and corrected before Saturday.

Dropped passes need to be caught. This is the Big 12 and missing opportunities to get first downs will cost the team the game.

Lastly, the kicking game needs improvement. Luckily for Mike McKnight, the Cyclones didn’t lose by one, or he may have been ridden out of town on a rail.

A Division I football team needs a kicker that can make extra points. If they don’t have one, they aren’t going to pull off many upsets.

McKnight’s kick didn’t lose the game, but if you look at the difference in a team’s mindset between a tie and down by one, it is huge.

The Cyclones need to fix the problem and come out ready to play in Stillwater.

The past is the past, and the future in Ames still looks very bright.