Big Week For The Cyclones.

Iowa State Football announced a new offensive coordinator today, Mark Mangino.   You may remember Mangino as the former head coach of the Kansas Jayhawks.   On December 3, 2009, amid increasing public pressure on Kansas University due to allegations of chronic and harsh mistreatment of his student-players, Mangino and the University of Kansas agreed on a monetary settlement in exchange for his immediate resignation as Jayhawks head coach.  During Mangino's tenure as head coach, he led the Jayhawks to a 12-1 season in 2007 and took them to the Orange Bowl, which they won. 

Your Coach Can Eat Me !!

Mangino is known as a spread offense guru.   He knows how to eat up yards and defenses like Krispy Kreme donuts.   Last year, Iowa State had a largely under-performing offense.  As the Big XII continues to move toward an offensive-minded score-first conference, Mangino should help the Cyclones.   Baylor and Oklahoma State continue to raise the bar by running high-flying and high-scoring offenses.   Mangino knows the Big XII and should be a great addition to the Iowa State program.   If nothing else he should be fun to write about.  

This One For Netten

The Cyclones Men's basketball team is currently ranked #9 in the country.   Yes, folks, that is a top 10 ranking.   Something we won't see for some time in football.   Brian Netten will be happy to know that the Cyclone Women's basketball program is also ranked at 11th in the country.  I know what your thinking - God I love that Women's Basketball Team Super Fan.
   
On Tuesday night, the Iowa State Men's Basketball team faces the Baylor Bears, who are currently ranked #7.   The games just keep getting bigger and bigger (Michigan, BYU, Iowa ...).  Yet, Iowa State remains one of 6 teams that are still undefeated.  But now we are into the tough part of our schedule - The Big XII Conference Schedule.   

Baylor is Good: 

Baylor Goggles also handy at the bars

• Baylor is ranked No. 7 in the latest AP Top 25 poll, up 18 spots from the Bears' preseason No. 25 ranking. 
• Baylor's No. 7 AP ranking is its highest since being ranked No. 6 on Feb. 6, 2012.
• Baylor has won 17 of its last 18 games overall, with the lone loss to Syracuse, which is ranked No. 2 by the AP. 
• Baylor has out-shot all 13 opponents this season and has been out-rebounded only once in 13 games. 
• Baylor is 0-5 all-time when playing in a battle of AP top-10 teams -- all five previous games were in 2011-12. 
• Through games as of Jan. 5, Baylor ranks 5th nationally in field goal percentage (50.4) and 3-point FG percentage (42.5), 7th in rebounding margin (10.1) and 17th in assists per game (16.5). 
• Baylor is 5-0 this season in games decided by 5 points or less or in OT -- BU was 3-8 in those games last year. 
• Baylor has started the season 12-1 or better through its first 13 games in four of the last six seasons. • Nine Baylor players average 14+ minutes per game, and Baylor's bench is averaging 30.9 points per game. 

This should be another good test for the Cyclones.   Baylor and Oklahoma State - home and away - are the games that I'm the most concerned about this year.   Kansas will be a challenge, but we will definitely get fired up and take the fight to the Jayhawks, especially on our home court.