As the Cyclones enter the fifth game of the 1999 campaign, a lot of questions still remain unanswered.

Can the Cyclones pass the ball? Can the Cyclones win in a tough environment? Can they stop a team with an elite running game?

Well, all of these questions will be answered this weekend, and in my opinion, the answers might not be what Cyclone fans would hope.

First things first: the passing game. Sage Rosenfels, who emerged from camp as the starting quarterback, has gotten nearly all of the snaps since the second week of the season.

Due to the Cyclones’ success on the ground, Rosenfels did not need to put the ball in the air throughout the first three games of the season. In the fourth, the play-calling skills (or lack thereof, in this case) of Dan McCarney and/or Pete Hoener prohibited the Cyclone passing attack from getting off the ground until it was too late.

In all likelihood, he Cyclones will need to pass the ball this week. Falling behind early to Nebraska seems quite probable, rendering Darren Davis and the rest of the clock-chewing ground attack irrelevant as Iowa State tries to get back into the game in a hurry.

So, every time ISU faces a third-and-long, they will either run the vaunted shotgun draw, or we will finally see of what Rosenfels is capable.

So far this season, the junior signal-caller has proven to be a very capable runner but has thrown more interceptions (four) than touchdowns (three). Of the picks, two occurred in the endzone — a cardinal sin that must be avoided against good teams.

We know what Damien Groce can do. We know what Chris Anthony can (and can’t) do, and J.J. Moses is very quickly proving himself to be the main big-play threat on the ’99 Cyclone team.

How well ISU can move the ball through the air will go a long way in determining if the Cyclones can keep this game close.

The next question, whether the Cyclones can win in a tough environment, has certainly not been put to the test.

Yeah, the Rebels of Las Vegas had an undefeated team and a former NFL coach at the helm, but Sam Boyd Stadium is no Memorial Stadium.

In fact, Sam Boyd Stadium is no Swanson Stadium (my high school football stadium — the games were not well-attended.)

Before the Cyclones went into Iowa City last season and lambasted the Hawkeyes 27-9, their last road win in a hostile environment occurred in 1990.

That year, under coach Jim Walden, the Cyclones ventured to 16th ranked Oklahoma.

In front of 69,112 Sooner fans, ISU beat Oklahoma 33-31 for their third win of the season.

The last time the ‘Clones beat Nebraska in Lincoln was 1977, the year before I was born. ISU took a 24-21 victory in front of 76,090 Husker fans.

Anyway, Saturday there will be 75,000 people dressed in red who regularly have relations with extended family (otherwise known as “Husker fans”) that will be waiting for the Cyclones to be put to death early and often.

If the ‘Clones are intimidated by all of this, it will be over before you can say “incest.”

The third and final test will be whether the Cyclones can stop a top running attack.

After Division I-AA Indiana State rushed for over 200 yards in the first game, the run defense was exceptional.

Kansas State, traditionally a tough team on the ground, ran for 203 yards, a total that isn’t too bad except when you consider roughly 202 came in the second half.

Dan Alexander, Eric Crouch and the rest of the Huskers figure to run for well over 300 yards. If that happens, it’s uh-oh time.

So, how will this all play out? The Cyclones will stay in the game longer than usual. They won’t give up 75 points. But they will lose. 49-14, Huskers.