"I’m guessing that rainbow means you’re going to have good luck next fall,’’ a guy told McCarney.

"Hey, I hope you’re right,’’ the coach said. "Some people are ready to bury us, so it’s great to see the rainbow!’’

It was tough enough that the Big 12 schedule-makers had the Cyclones playing conference powers Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas State and Colorado on the road during a period between Oct. 19 and Nov. 16.

But then McCarney and athletic director Bruce Van De Velde agreed to add an Aug. 24 game against always-strong Florida State in the Eddie Robinson Classic at Kansas City to the schedule.

The way to look at it, I guess, is that McCarney and his boss wouldn’t have scheduled the Florida State game if they didn’t think Iowa State had a chance to win it.

"They first came to us with a $600,000 offer to play in the game,’’ McCarney explained. "I said, ‘You’ve got to be kidding.’ I told them I’d play Bemidji State for $600,000, not Florida State.

"I said it should be a $1 million minimum, and that’s what it will be. The payoff is like playing three home games, and the money doesn’t all go to our football budget. It will help all sports at Iowa State, which is great. And it’s tremendous exposure for us.’’

"We’re going to have a good football team, and we’re going to have to be a real good team to have success with the schedule we’re playing,’’ McCarney said following Saturday’s spring game.

"Anytime you start your season and you’ve got a guy like Seneca gives you great hope that you can have a real good year,’’ the coach said. "He’s stronger, he’s confident and he throws the ball about as good as anyone we’ve had in uniform since I took this job.

"We just have to make sure his supporting cast gives him a chance to be as good as we think he can be.’’

Hiawatha Rutland, who finished spring practice with what McCarney called "a slight edge’’ as the starting tailback, said he feels Iowa State "has the potential to be as good as the 9-3 squad’’ of 2000, but admitted it’s difficult to predict the number of victories and losses the 2002 team will have.

Rutland, who is from Bradenton, Fla., said the fact the Cyclones have Florida State on their schedule isn’t as important to him as playing as many big-name teams as possible.

Jordan Carstens, Iowa State’s 300-pound defensive tackle, said he "can’t wait’’ for the game against Florida State—one of three on Aug. 24 that open the collegiate season.

"I think we can be a good team and contend with the schedule we have,’’ Carstens said. "Any team that wants national recognition wants to play that type of schedule.’’

Wallace said the Cyclones "will be real excited to play Florida State and all the other big-name teams on the schedule.’’

Taking everything into consideration—the fact that this is Iowa State’s toughest schedule in history, that this should be McCarney’s best team, the outstanding progress he has made with a program that once was considered a coaches’ graveyard and the fact that Wallace is back for what could be a banner year--I think the Cyclones will have a 7-6 regular-season record and play in their third consecutive bowl game.

I think the Cyclones will also beat Kansas, Tennessee Tech, Troy State, Texas Tech, Missouri and Connecticut.

In 2000, he ran 18 times for 128 yards. In 2001, he ran 11 times for 30 yards. Ten of those carries were against Baylor.

Obviously, those numbers didn’t indicate the 202-pounder was making much progress on the tailback depth chart after rushing for 1,508 yards as a high school senior.

No one was mentioning his name in the same breath as Troy Davis, who came out of Florida to become Iowa State’s carrier rushing leader with 4,382 yards.

I asked Rutland if he had ever become discouraged.

"I kind of live with the moment,’’ he answered. "I’m sure there were times when I thought, ‘Is this right for me?’ But I got a letter from my old high school coach, and it said, ‘This game isn’t for people who aren’t mentally tough.’

"So I knew eventually I’d get a shot to have some fun—and I’m having fun right now.’’

He sure is.

Rutland, who had spent most of his time as a special teams player in his first two seasons, will start practice in August as the No. 1 tailback.

However, McCarney stressed that the battle is far from over.

"The (battle for No. 1) might go right up to the week of the Florida State game,’’ McCarney said.

McCarney hasn’t even ruled out a "tailback by committee’’ situation when the season begins.

Also contending for the job are Michael Wagner, JaMaine Billups and Brian Thompson.

"I think we can win with all four backs,’’ McCarney said.

Rutland said the tailback rivalry is a friendly one.

"It helps all the guys,’’ he explained. "We’re all good friends. You don’t have to feel that some other guy is going to hate you if you’re ahead of him.’’

Rutland is well aware that Iowa State has quite a streak of 1,000-yard rushers going. For seven consecutive seasons, the Cyclones have had backs—Troy Davis in 1995-96, Darren Davis n 1997-98-99 and Ennis Haywood in 2000-01—above the 1,000-yard figure.

The only school with a higher active streak of consecutive 1,000-yard rushers is Wisconsin with nine. Texas also has seven.

Asked if he feels pressure to continue the streak at Iowa State, Rutland said, "I don’t look at it as pressure. I look at it as an opportunity to explore your competitive nature.

"But, sure, whoever gets the job wants to go out and rush for 1,000 or he wouldn’t get the job. I’d like to feel that whoever we put in the position can go out and get 1,000.’’

Then Rutland drew a laugh from interviewers when he said, "If I don’t get 1,000 yards, Seneca Wallace will.’’

Maybe no one should laugh.

Don’t forget, Wallace ran for 475 yards last season. Of course, he also passed for 2,044 yards while earning Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year honors.