There are a lot of positives that the ISU football team could take away from Saturday’s contest versus Texas A&M, but one negative aspect cancelled them out.

They lost the game, 24-21.

“It was a hell of a college football game,” ISU Head Coach Dan McCarney said. “We had a lot of opportunities to win this football game, but we didn’t come through and make the plays and A&M did.”

The Aggies didn’t make a lot of plays, as the ISU defense limited the high-powered offense from College Station to 323 total yards and allowed only 13 first downs on the day.

Unfortunately for the Cyclones, a large amount of that yardage came on 74- and 70-yard plays. The latter resulted in a Albert Connell touchdown off a center screen play and the former in the form of a off-tackle scamper by D’Andre Hardeman which set up his own one-yard plunge for a score.

If you throw in a 69-yard punt return for a touchdown by Dante’ Hall, you have all the ingredients for 21 of Texas A&M’s 24 points.

“I really think our defense started to grow up today, but we sure aren’t where we need to be yet,” McCarney said. “The big plays just killed us.”

Despite the close score against a school with a lot of tradition, McCarney was not pleased with the outcome of the game. “If I have one player or one coach that accepts mediocrity, that accepts playing hard and losing to a great national tradition program like A&M, then we have a serious problem with this football team,” McCarney said.

“I didn’t come here 22 months ago to play hard and lose,” he continued. “We came here to win and that’s the only attitude I want from my staff and my players. We’re not a bit happy that we didn’t win the football game, obviously, but there’s some real positives to build on.”

The coach’s sentiments were echoed by his players. “We would’ve liked to have done better,” said linebacker Derrik Clark, who had ten tackles, two of those being sacks. “We’re happy with our play, but we lost. We have to come back next week and get back on track.”

There were two sides to Troy Davis’ day. He became the only back in college football history to reach 1,000 yards in five games two times. He scampered for 130 yards on the day, a total that the A&M defense does not normally allow.

The downside is that he carried the ball 39 times to gain his yardage, which averages out to less than four yards per carry. His long run on the day was for only 13 yards.

“There isn’t any comparison. This is the best defense I have ever played against,” Davis said.

When asked where he thought he stood in the Heisman race, he said, “I really have no idea.”

Troy’s brother Darren Davis found the end zone for the first time in his collegiate career on an incredible show of athleticism, leaping for a Todd Doxzon pass that resulted in a 27-yard touchdown that narrowed the A&M lead to three points.

“It was late in the game, we needed a touchdown, so I had to come up with a big play,” Darren said.

The younger Davis has made some great plays, earning the respect of his peers. “[Darren’s catch] was better than anything I can do,” senior receiver Tyrone Watley said with a laugh. “He’ll probably be in front of me next week.”

Watley’s place in the lineup is safe, as he led the team with four receptions for 60 yards. But Darren wouldn’t mind seeing some time split wide in the formation.

“I’d like to [play some receiver], but we’ve got some big-time receivers now,” Darren said. “I’ll just have to wait my turn.”

Aside from the Davis touchdown reception, big plays for the Cyclones were just out of reach. Literally, in the case of the Hail Mary attempt at the end of the first half.

With six seconds remaining in the half and the ball resting at midfield, Doxzon reached back and launched a shot to the end zone. The ball bounced off an A&M player’s hands, Watley’s hands and Watley’s feet before finally falling to the ground just out of the reach of ISU receiver Ed Williams.

“I was falling, but I got my hands up, and I thought it was going to drop right in my hands,” Watley said. The ball fell to the turf, leaving the halftime score at 17-7, Aggies.

One positive aspect McCarney addressed was the atmosphere around the program. “It was sensational the whole game,” McCarney said. “The fans were behind the offense, behind the defense. That’s one of the areas that we’ve come miles and miles and miles with.

“This is a real special place to play,” McCarney added. “I’ve been used to some real special places, and this place isn’t going to take a back seat to any of them. These fans were fantastic,” McCarney said. “I’m sorry we couldn’t get them a win.”