Daily Staff Writer

Iowa State football players Todd Bandhauer and Dave Brcka have two very distinct memories of two different Oklahoma State games, and the two players will compete for the 1997 win tomorrow evening.

Bandhauer, a quarterback, is a junior co-captain starting his first season opener and the fourth game of his collegiate career.

In 1995, Bandhauer started the Oklahoma State game, which turned out to be his most productive game at the collegiate level.

He completed 11 of 18 passes for three touchdowns and no interceptions as ISU won, 38-14.

“If I said I didn’t think about (the 1995 game), I would be lying,” Bandhauer said. “Yeah, I think about it from time to time, but it’s not good to dwell on the past. This is a different Cyclone team, just like this is a different Oklahoma State team.”

Unfortunately when Brcka, co-captain and linebacker who led the Cyclones with 127 tackles last season, thinks about Oklahoma State, he remembers the 1996 game.

This is a memory he would rather soon forget.

Last year, ISU led Oklahoma State 24-7, until the third quarter.

During the final quarter, the Cylone lead decreased steadily as they gave up a substantial number of yards to the Cowboys.

Oklahoma State’s Andre Richardson and David Thompson both rushed for over 100 yards. Richardson finished with 173 yards, and Thompson ran for 158.

The game ended with ISU falling to Oklahoma State by the final score of 28-27.

“I mostly feel sick to my stomach whenever I look at game film of that game,” Brcka said.

“It’s hard for me to watch, because I think it was my worst game of the year, and it was the worst game of the year for a lot of guys,” he said.

Even though something different comes to mind for both players when Oklahoma State is mentioned, they said they are ready to play the team again.

Brcka said he is looking forward to the season opener to make amends for last season’s Oklahoma State game.

“I’m really excited to be opening up the season with Oklahoma State because we had such a bad game last year,” he said.

Bandhauer said he is looking forward to the game for a different reason. Saturday’s game will start at 5:30 p.m., and no other ISU home game this season starts after 2:30 p.m.

“I like later-in-the-day games because I don’t have to wake up so early in the morning,” Bandhauer said. “I’m not exactly a morning person.”

All of Bandhauer’s previous starts came during the 1995 season while he was filling in for an injured Todd Doxzon.

Despite the fact that Bandhauer only attempted seven passes last season, he said the extra season of experience was beneficial.

“I really didn’t know what to expect my freshman year,” he said. “I didn’t know the offense as well as I do now.”

This season, ISU will feature three new starters on the offensive line.

Only co-captain Matt Rahfaldt and Kurt Levetzow are returning starters.

Marc Cortez, Oliver Ross and Ben Beaudet will replace the departed offensive players Tim Kohn, Patrick Augafa and Doug Easley.

Kohn was a third-round draft pick of the Oakland Raiders and was placed on the team’s opening-day roster earlier this week.

Coach Dan McCarney said he thinks the offensive line should play pretty well.

“The key to how well we do offensively on Saturday night is the development of our offensive line,” ISU Head Coach Dan McCarney said.

“We’ve got some difference-makers at running back and wide receiver and I think we have a good operator at quarterback,” McCarney said.

ISU and Oklahoma State play the season opener for both teams at newly-dedicated Jack Trice Stadium.

ISU finished last season with a 2-9 record, while Oklahoma State was 5-6.

Jack Trice Stadium will officially be dedicated in a ceremony at 4 p.m. near the Northeast entrance to the stadium.

ISU President Martin Jischke and Athletic Director Gene Smith will be two of the featured speakers.