Contrary to popular belief, the sky is not falling in Ames.

A disappointing week, in which the Cyclones went 1-2 to kick off Big 12 play, including a rare home loss, has caused some to believe otherwise.

This year’s team came into the season with sky-high expectations, but a shaky start to conference play has brought some of those expectations into question, and ISU fans have begun searching for the panic button.

The consensus within the program: Not so fast.

 “I know we had a lot of high expectations for this year, and those can still be high,” senior Georges Niang told reporters Monday afternoon.

ISU players and coaches alike have heard some of the talk surrounding the program after Iowa State’s loss on its home court to Baylor.

“This isn’t the end of the world,” said ISU coach Steve Prohm. “I mean, we’re three games into conference play.”

With 15 conference games left, there is plenty of time for Prohm and his squad to right the ship. Prohm has come under some fire and received a share of the blame for Iowa State’s slow conference start.

Following in the footsteps of an ISU legend in Fred Hoiberg, and inheriting a stacked roster full of experienced talent, makes Prohm an easy target for blame and criticism when the team struggles.

Warranted or not, Prohm is fine with that.

“If it’s not right, put it on me,” Prohm said. “If it’s going right, give the credit to them. That’s how it should be. I’m OK with that. I want that.”

It comes with the territory, Prohm said.

“They’re going to nitpick and kill me on everything,” Prohm said. “That’s part of it. That’s what I signed up for. I’m not going to be able to be somebody I’m not. But I know what I’m doing. I know it’s going to work in the end.”

A 1-2 start in Big 12 play likely isn’t want Iowa State planned on, but a roster that prominently features four experienced seniors goes a long way toward turning around that slow start.

“We know we’re talented,” Prohm said. “We know we got a good team, and I’m in this for the long haul.”

The next step on that long haul is a pair of road contests this week. First up is Texas on Tuesday, a team that’s having its own fair share of struggles.

Just as first-year ISU coach Steve Prohm has found his program struggling early on in Big 12 play, so has first-year Texas coach Shaka Smart. The Longhorns are 1-2 in Big 12 play, including a 1-point loss to Texas Christian.

To make matters worse for the Longhorns, the injury bug has found star player Cameron Ridley, who is out indefinitely with a foot injury that has put the remainder of his college career in question. The big man was averaging a double-double for Texas prior to the injury.

“They’re trying to figure out rotations,” Prohm said of the Longhorns’ struggles. “I think [Smart] is going to play a little smaller, try to play a little faster, press a little more [and] try to turn people over.”

Every game is important in the Big 12, but after shaky starts in conference play, both the Longhorns and Cyclones are desperate to get back on the winning track.

Or else their respective fans will really think the sky is falling.