For the record: Yes, another Big 12 North team is struggling more than Colorado. Iowa State (2-7, 0-5 Big 12) has lost seven consecutive games. The Cyclones fell 59-17 at Oklahoma State on Saturday.
Streaking: Iowa State will arrive in Boulder carrying a 15-game losing streak in Big 12 road games, dating to 2005.
Who’s hot: Freshman returner Leonard Johnson. A cornerback in his regular duties, Johnson set an NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision single-game kickoff-return record against Oklahoma State with 319 yards, on nine returns. Clemson’s Justin Miller had the record with a 282-yard return day in 2004 against Florida State.
Who’s not: ISU’s secondary. During the past four weeks, opposing quarterbacks have completed 76.4 percent of their passes against the Cyclones, for 1,382 yards and 12 TDs against just one interception.
Key stat: 682 — the number of yards in total offense amassed by Oklahoma State against ISU. That’s the fifth-most in OSU history.
FYI: Johnson had a chance to set the NCAA all-division kickoff-return record set by Eastern Washington’s Bashir Levingston with 326 yards in 1998 against Sacramento State. But Johnson had just 15 yards on his final kickoff return, 7 yards shy of tying Levington’s mark.
Injury report: None reported.
Coachspeak: “It’s really one of the only bright spots of our team.” — ISU coach Gene Chizik, on Johnson’s NCAA kickoff-return record
Tom Kensler, The Denver Post
