Saturday, Colorado travels to Ames, Iowa, to take on the 5-5 Iowa State Cyclones in hopes of posting back-to-back wins for the first time since opening the 2008 season at 3-0.

Seen as potentially being one of the Buffs’ best chances at a road victory back in August, Colorado needs to win out just to become bowl eligible.

For the Cyclones, the math is much easier—defeat Colorado, and earn a bowl bid for the first time since 2005.

Jack Trice Stadium holds up to 55,000. A crowd of 40,000 to 45,000 is expected.

Can the Buffs pull off their first road win in over two years?

Can Colorado make the trip to Stillwater next Thursday relevant?

Can the Buffs keep the Iowa State offense from regaining its early season form?

Let’s find out with this week’s “T.I.P.S."

 

T—Talent

For the first time since the Kansas State game, and perhaps for only the second time since the Wyoming game, Colorado will have the more talented squad on the field. Iowa State is 5-5, but has struggled since its non-conference wins over North Dakota State, Kent State, and Army.

One problem for the Buffs—Iowa State, after weeks of playing with walking wounded, is healthy.

Tailback Alexander Robinson had four 100-yard rushing games in the first six games of 2009.  He sat out against Nebraska and has been limited since, but is now back.

Starting center Reggie Stephens, who had been participating in one of every three plays, has recovered from a midseason appendectomy and is back to full time. 

And then there is QB Austen Arnaud…

The junior quarterback had a bruised hand that kept him out of games against Nebraska and Texas A&M, but Arnaud returned to play in the 34-8 loss to Oklahoma State last weekend.

Arnaud suffered three interceptions against the Cowboys, after throwing only five in the first seven games of the season. Despite the rocky first outing, Iowa State offensive coordinator Tom Herman is not concerned: “I feel a lot better about the state of the offense going into this week than last week,” said Herman. “This week, we’ll be the healthiest we’ve been since the Kansas game (Oct. 10th)”.

With Arnaud out, the Iowa State offense suffered. The past three games, Iowa State has scored nine, 10, and eight points.

Originally ranked 36th, their total offense has fallen to 69th in the nation, while scoring has fallen to 99th.

“We’ve got everyone back,” said tight end Derrick Catlett. “Now we have to start playing like we played in the beginning.” Arnaud, who is the top five all-time at Iowa State in passing yards, touchdown passes, completions, and total offense, is the all-time leader in Ames in completion percentage at .594 percent.

Colorado fans have to hope that the Iowa State offense will take at least one more week to gel.

As for the Iowa State defense, the name that you will hear most often on the radio (no television; Buff fans are relegated to KOA and the Internet) may be Jesse Smith.

The senior linebacker is sixth in tackles, averaging 11 per game (Jeff Smart leads the Buffs, averaging just short of eight tackles per game). In addition to his 110 tackles, Smith has two interceptions on the season and leads a defense that forced eight turnovers against Nebraska. They also held the Cornhuskers to seven points, preserving the Cyclones’ first win in Lincoln since 1977 and breaking a 15-game losing streak at Nebraska and a 14-game Big 12 losing streak on the road.

 

I—Intangibles

Got motivation?

The 35-34 come-from-behind win over Texas A&M kept alive the Buffs’ fleeting chances at a bowl bid and a winning season. The only way to avoid a fourth straight losing season is to win out, and that starts Saturday against Iowa State.

In a sense, Colorado is returning to the scene of the crime.

If 2009 proves to be the final season of the Dan Hawkins’ regime, then there are a number of games that could be considered the turning point. The true cynic would point to game one—a home loss to Division 1-AA Montana State. Others might point to the 59-yard field goal by Nebraska last November that cost Colorado a bowl game and a winning season. Still, others might single out the debacle at Toledo.

I would point to the last time Colorado ventured into Ames.

The scene: 2007, Colorado was 5-5 in Dan Hawkins’ second season in Boulder, and Iowa State was 2-8. The Buffs were a win away from securing a bowl bid the season after a 2-10 nightmare, while the Cyclones were going nowhere under first-year head coach Gene Chizik.

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