There seems to be a general consensus sweeping across the land concerning the football team. “Eehhh, they played good but not great.” It wasn’t long ago, a win against an Ohio-like team would send students into a stark-raven craze; throwing goal posts into Lake Lavern while chanting “WE’RE NUMBER ONE!” Please. Before we as fans chant anything this season, Iowa State has to deal with UNLV. So in tribute of every coach who has ever said “The most improvement is made between week one and week two,” let’s see what facets need to be improved upon before Saturday, using a scale of McCarney heads. One McCarney head means your position is safe. You can slack off in practice for a couple of weeks. Five McCarney heads means you better start living at the practice field. 2000 marks the first season since 1994 that a… Stop. We all know who came before Ennis Haywood and Michael Wagner. But to the Ohio defense, it was same old, same old. Haywood and Wagner combined for 206 total rushing yards. Each scored a touchdown. Wagner’s 4.3 average yards per carry proved him to be a worthy replacement to Haywood. Haywood rushed for 159 yards. Rating: 2 and a half heads. If you take away Haywood’s 73-yard touchdown score, he had 86 yards on 22 carries. Maybe Haywood didn’t drink enough pickle juice. In past years, an option offense and Iowa State trying to defend against it was about as futile as any excuse that George W. Bush will try to muster up about his sailor’s mouth. This defense held in check not only an option, but a triple option. Albeit an Ohio triple option. Tyrone Tucker (team-leading nine tackles) and company held the Ohio running attack to a reasonable 174 yards. The turnover ratio, something Coach McCarney has been stressing, was in Iowa State’s favor, 4-1. The Iowa State secondary limited the Ohio air attack to 130 yards. And the defensive front-four frequently greeted Ohio quarterback Darius Jackson. Rating: 2 heads. 174 yards rushing still shows some vulnerability to option teams. Sage Rosenfels has, in some circles, been hyped as the second-best senior quarterback in collegiate football. After Saturday, that seems to be a somewhat generous compliment. Sage’s numbers, 16-30 passing with one interception and a rushing touchdown, won’t win him a Heisman. But he orchestrated an offense in southern-Texas-like heat and threw for 196 yards, without any major first-game malfunctions. Rosenfels’ receivers did an admirable job. A couple of passes were overthrown. A couple were dropped. He did not throw any touchdown passes, but those will come. Rating: 2 heads. If Haywood improves and Wagner is there to help him, Sage won’t have to be the wonder boy with the All-American arm. But it would be nice if that arm could at least be All-Conference. The special teams didn’t exactly set the tone when foot hit ball on Saturday. Ohio started their first drive after a 48-yard kickoff return. Mike McKnight and Tony Yelk each missed a PAT. McKnight was successful on two field goals however. Rating: 2 and a half red-faced heads with vein-in-the-middle-of-the-forehead-throbbing. Sebastian Janikowski only comes around once in a great while, but if PAT’s aren’t made on a more consistent basis, maybe it’s worth looking for another Sebastian around campus. UNLV does not pose the problems that Nebraska will. Playing in mid-season form can wait for mid-season. However, UNLV is athletic and virtually unknown by the Cyclones and coaching staff. Iowa State needs to remember the old coaches euphemism that harped about the most dangerous game being the game before a bigger game.