The Iowa State football team is receiving votes in the latest USA Today coaches poll. It’s only one vote, but it’s a start.

Saturday, the Cyclones have a chance to pick up a lot more votes, not to mention respect, when they host 15th-ranked Kansas State.

Respect has been hard to come by for the Cyclones, but nine straight losing seasons will do that to a football program.

That could all change Saturday, as a victory over a powerhouse like Kansas State would undoubtedly open some eyes in the college football world.. It also would give the Cyclones a great chance of cracking the Top 25, which has been foreign territory since 1978. Another area that a victory would help the Cyclones in is legitimizing their 3-0 start.

Much has been said about the lack of competition the Cyclones have faced so far, but that argument will die quickly if they come out on top Saturday.

The oddsmakers don’t seem to be very impressed with the Cyclones’ quick start, as they made the Wildcats 16-point favorites. That spread might be a little steep, considering the game is in Ames, and both teams are undefeated.

The past success of the Cyclones in the Big 12 has been minimal, and this seems to be the perfect year for a turnaround. A number of the schools in the conference have struggled with lesser opponents, and the title seems to be up for grabs, so the timing is right for the Cyclones to make a statement.

It’s going to be far from easy, though, as the Wildcats are coming off an 11-win season and feature one of the best defensive units in college football.

The defending Big 12 North champs have piled up some impressive numbers in their two victories, but those wins also came over Temple and UTEP.

It’s no surprise to see the Wildcats beating up on lower-level teams during the non-conference portion of their schedule. They’ve been notorious for that under head coach Bill Snyder.

The Cyclone offense is powered by the nation’s leading rushing attack but is similar to the Wildcat defense in that they’re yet to be tested.

The key to the game lies in who proves their stats are well-deserved and wins the battle up front.

On defense, the Cyclones are looking very solid and will be out to show that they also played a major part in the early season success.

The Cyclones’ motivation for this game is simple. They have something to prove, and defeating Kansas State will take a big step in getting the point across.

Not to mention the Cyclones will have four victories and will only need to win two of their last seven games to qualify for a bowl game, but that’s looking too far ahead.

The Cyclones can win this game, but it will take a perfect all-around performance, including special teams, which have struggled.

There’s also a slight possibility that the Wildcats will look past the Cyclones to next weekend’s showdown at Texas.

In my previous column, I threw out a score prediction and was a blocked field goal away from being right on the money, so I’ll try it again.

Cyclones 17, Wildcats 14.

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Jeff Stell is a senior in journalism and mass communication from Fort Dodge.