For the first time in several weeks, whimsical talk of a winning season won’t be heard swirling around Iowa State’s football team.

There will be no buzz about possible post-season play and no representatives from Carquest- or Insight.com-sponsored bowl games inhabiting the luxury seats.

When the Cyclones (4-6, 1-6 Big 12) travel to Lawrence, Kan. to tangle with the improved Kansas Jayhawks (4-7, 2-5 Big 12), each team will simply seek insight into a season of “what might have beens,” and what may be to come in the fall of 2000.

After a season replete with letdowns, both Kansas head coach Terry Allen and ISU head coach Dan McCarney desperately need a win.

“In a lot of senses we’ve had similar seasons,” Allen said. “We’ve just got to get a little better, get a few more athletes.”

What to a casual, disinterested observer might be deemed a “meaningless” game, remains of great importance to two programs struggling to reach the peak of the Big 12 Conference.

“How do you get kids up?” Allen said. “They [the players] work so hard throughout the whole off-season, and it’s a lot of seniors in their final home game. I think you have to rely on that because you don’t get a lot of opportunities to play.”

Allen believes that, while both squads have become more competitive, the bottom-line measuring stick is wins and losses, with this year containing too many of the latter.

“I watch Iowa State, and I think they’ve made vast improvements over a year ago, and it doesn’t reflect in their record,” Allen said. “For the most part — the last month and a half — we’ve made vast improvements, and it doesn’t reflect in our record either.”

Impressive triumphs against Missouri (21-0) and last-place Baylor (45-10) do not overshadow a 41-13 home loss to WAC also-ran San Diego State and an especially disappointing defeat at Oklahoma State last week, 45-13, a game that Kansas actually won statistically.

Three weeks ago, the Jayhawks led Big 12 North champion Nebraska 17-10 in the third quarter, only to succumb to the deeper Huskers, 24-17.

“The old moral victory thing I don’t think works, and I think Mac [McCarney] will tell you the same thing,” Allen said. “It does bode some pride in your program, and you can build on confidence.”

The ultimate confidence is gleaned from victories, however, and Allen understands how ISU’s near-misses against quality opponents can be deflating.

“Iowa State has done an excellent job this year,” Allen said. “They’re probably frustrated with their record, but I think Dan has done a very good job with their football team, playing some outstanding football teams to a very close loss.”

The Jayhawks showcase a solid running game, ranking fourth in the Big 12 at 160.9 yards per game.

Junior David Winbush has totaled 504 yards on 104 carries for five rushing touchdowns. Junior fullback Moran Norris averages five yards per rush and has eight touchdowns overall.

Senior Mitch Bowles has also contributed significantly with 412 yards rushing and a 4.8 yard-per-carry average.

Kansas throws for 165.5 yards each contest. Junior signal-caller Dylan Smith is connecting on 52 percent of his passes and holds an excellent 12 to six touchdown-to-interception ratio.

At receiver, sophomore Harrison Hill has excelled with over 500 yards in catches (17.4 average) good for four touchdowns, and senior Michael Chandler is currently leading the team with 31 receptions.

Defensively, Kansas has struggled, allowing 34 or more points six times.

The Jayhawk’s passing defense ranks last in the Big 12, surrendering 225 yards per game. Against the run, Kansas notches up slightly to 10th in the league, yielding an average of 155.6 yards per game.

Allen, as with all opposing coaches, believes the key to stopping the Cyclones is holding down running back Darren Davis.

“Darren Davis is probably the best back in the league,” Allen said. “Not only can he run the football, he can catch it [and] he’s an excellent blocker. We’ll have our hands full.”

While commending the effort of his existing players, Allen realizes that to compete in the Big 12, the touchstone is depth.

“From one through 70, against the top teams in this league, we just run out of players,” he said.

Completing the metamorphosis from bad to good is also hampered by the dominance of intra-state rival Kansas State.

“The success of Kansas State makes it that much more difficult,” Allen said. “But it also puts a target out there for us and gives us something to shoot at.”

As interminable a climb as it is, entering the pantheon of the Big 12 requires patience, something that’s in ever-shorter supply on football success-starved campuses like Kansas and Iowa State.

“One to 12, the competition level is very good in this league, and everyone seems to have the ability to come and play,” Allen said. “It’s just hard to make a quantum leap in a year or two.”