Taking it one huge step further, the Cyclones’ game Saturday at Oklahoma can also be labeled the most significant in the 111-year history of Iowa State football, with no apologies to the Iowa State teams of old that were coached by Clay Stapleton, Johnny Majors and Earle Bruce.

McCarney’s team—armed with a No. 9 national ranking that’s the highest ever at Iowa State—plays No. 2 Oklahoma at 2:30 p.m. Saturday on ABC-TV.

McCarney has already accomplished some things that most people who understand college football thought would be impossible at a school that not long ago was regarded as a coaches’ graveyard.

His 2000 team had a 9-3 record and won a bowl game. His 2001 team went 7-5 and almost beat Alabama in a bowl. His 2002 team should be 7-0, but must settle for 6-1 because of a lousy call by the referees in the season opener against Florida State.

Now comes Oklahoma, a program with a history. Bud Wilkinson won national championships there. Barry Switzer won national championships there. Bob Stoops, who played football at Iowa, has already won a national championship there.

Stoops’ team, which demolished Texas, 35-24, last week, is good enough to win another national championship this season.

Iowa State is a nine-point underdog, but you would be foolish to count McCarney and his players—one of whom is a quarterback, Seneca Wallace, who deserves to win the Heisman Trophy--out of this game or any of the others that are left on their brutal schedule.

The Cyclones are a reflection of their coach. They accept any challenge. They might be rocked back on their heels one minute, they might be ready to throw the knockout punch the next minute.

People talk about the swagger of Bob Stoops, the former Iowa player who coaches Oklahoma.

Iowa State has a swagger all its own under Dan McCarney.

He knows all about Iowa State.

"It’s fortunate that maybe we’re hitting stride when we need to,’’ he said today. "Iowa State is really playing well. They’re playing excellent football. It’s a very disciplined, well-coached team.

"Dan has done an incredible job with them. They have talented players and excellent schemes. Seneca Wallace is as fine a player as there is in the country, so we understand we are facing a huge challenge.’’

McCarney sent the same sort of compliments in Stoops’ direction.

"Oklahoma is obviously a national championship-caliber football team,’’ he said. "They have a 30-2 record in their last 32 games. Bobby Stoops, whom I know very well, has done a marvelous job with his team and his program.

"They’re loaded. We’ve been watching tape of them since yesterday, and haven’t found any weaknesses yet. No question they’re one of the premier teams in all of college football. It’s a real tough challenge for us, but we’re looking forward to it.’’

"He makes runs like that quite often,’’ Stoops said. "I’ve seen that run on tapes, I’ve seen it on ESPN. I’ve also seen him make a bunch of (other) plays.

"He’s a tremendous athlete, with a good supporting cast around him.’’

While Wallace was scampering all around the field on that play, McCarney said he never once wished he’d simply get rid of the ball.

"I’d never say, "Throw the ball away’’ to Seneca,’’ McCarney explained.

Why would he? Wallace is fully capable of turning any kind of play into a touchdown.

McCarney said he was "shocked’’ that there wasn’t a longer list of recruiters that Iowa State had to beat to get Wallace.

"We didn’t need to dig through a lot of tape to evaluate him (after his junior college career),’’ McCarney said. "We saw some great things in him immediately.

"He was very effective throwing from the pocket and from outside. He’s always had magic feet and could make people miss, but he believes in his heart he’s a thrower first and a runner second.’’

"Rutland has been bothered a little by an ankle sprain,’’ McCarney said. "He’ll be close to 100 percent this week and will play.’’

McCarney said Oklahoma’s defense "is one of the best in college football.

"They play with the same intensity and tenacity that their head coach and defensive coordinator played with at the University of Iowa when we were all there together,’’ said McCarney, a former Hawkeye assistant under Bob Commings and Hayden Fry.

Mike Stoops, Bobby’s brother and also a former Iowa player, runs Oklahoma’s defense.