Your Iowa State football really is favored to beat Nebraska.

Well, not exactly by a lopsided margin.

Just by one point.

By looking at the betting line, you’d never know McCarney’s Cyclones lost at Lincoln, 48-14, last season.

Or that they were walloped by Nebraska, 73-14, in 1995 – McCarney’s first season at Iowa State.

Or that the Cyclones have lost the last seven games of the series by an average of more than 40 points.

But this isn’t the same Nebraska team your older brother knew. Or the same Iowa State team.

"I don’t know about us being the favorite,’’ McCarney said today as he looked forward to Saturday’s 2:30 p.m. game against Nebraska at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames. "It’s shocking to even hear that when we haven’t even made a game of it with Nebraska since I’ve been here.’’

McCarney used words such as "embarrassing’’ and "ugly’’ to describe recent Iowa State-Nebraska games.

"We’re hoping that, instead of the men and the boys, as it’s been in the last seven years, it’s the men and the men when we line up and play Saturday,’’ McCarney said.

Those who vote in the national polls are already aware that Iowa State has a few men. The Cyclones are ranked No. 19 and Nebraska is No. 20 in the AP poll. Nebraska is No. 19, Iowa State No. 21 in the coaches’ poll.

"There are no tickets available, and I hope we can get the best atmosphere we’ve ever had,’’ McCarney said. "I hope the 50-some thousand fans aren’t sitting on their hands.’’

Iowa State hasn’t won in the series since fifth-year senior Marv Seiler, making his first career start, ran for 144 yards and quarterbacked his team to a 19-10 victory over seventh-ranked Nebraska on Nov. 14, 1992.

Asked what a victory Saturday would do for his program, McCarney said, "Obviously, it would be huge. We haven’t been competitive with them. Everybody knows about Nebraska football, some people know about Iowa State football.’’

Asked if would help the Cyclones’ recruiting, McCarney said, "No question. We would get short-term and long-term benefits. Here’s a Nebraska program that played in the national championship game last year (a 34-17 loss to Miami) and has been in the hunt for the national championship almost every year.’’

McCarney, by the way, isn’t buying into all the "doomsday’’ talk coming out of Lincoln because of the loss to Miami, the Huskers’ 62-36 drubbing at the hands of Colorado in their previous game, and the 40-7 loss at Penn State two weeks ago.

McCarney pointed out that nobody should have bought into any "doomsday talk out of Boulder, Colo.,’’ either. He was referring to a Colorado team that put a (31-17)

knot on UCLA’s head’’ Saturday.

"The Big 12 North is loaded with talent,’’ McCarney said.

"They don’t want to get too emotionally high for this game,’’ Barnett said. "This will be a 60-minute game. Sometimes emotions are good for the first 5 minutes. After that, they’re not much good. (Iowa State) will have to be really focused and not get caught up in emotion.’’

Nebraska Coach Frank Solich indicated he’s well aware that "Iowa State is coming into the game with a great deal of confidence, and they’re saying they are planning on turning the (rivalry) around in terms of getting a victory this year.

"Our players understand where they’re coming from. But it’s going to take more than bulletin board material (to help us). It’s going to take a total team effort to make it work.’’

"You have to block out what’s around you,’’ Solich said. "The thing that causes problems for a team is if they’re not focused and allow things on the outside to make a difference with them. The last thing our players need to do is buy into what people who don’t know the ins and outs of this program making decisions as to where we’re at.’’

Solich said he addresses his players frequently about the dangers of being congratulated by fans after successes and being "battered’’ by fans after losses.

"The main issue is to stay united, stay focused,’’ he said.

When criticism comes from former Nebraska players, Solich said, "We’re a very proud program, a program with great tradition. We’ve had some great teams and players here. Those guys expect great things to happen. I understand that.’’

Solich he doesn’t know of any program that doesn’t "get its share of criticism.’’