Texas-Iowa St. Preview

10/9/2007 7:17 PM

By KATE HEDLIN
STATS Writer

Off to its worst start in conference play in more than 50 years, Texas is going to need quarterback Colt McCoy to regain his form from last year if it has any shot of salvaging this season.

McCoy and the No. 23 Longhorns look to snap their four-game Big 12 losing streak when they visit Iowa State on Saturday.

Less than two years removed from winning a national title, Texas (4-2) is winless in conference play after two games for the first time since 1956, when the Longhorns went 1-9 (0-6 in conference) under Ed Price.

Texas' struggles, which go back to last season when it lost its final two conference games, have the Longhorns in an early hole in the Big 12 standings.

McCoy has 10 interceptions and 10 touchdowns this year, after tying an NCAA freshman record with 29 touchdowns and just seven interceptions last season. He turned in a solid game in last week's 28-21 loss to then-No. 10 Oklahoma, throwing for 324 yards and two touchdowns, although he had a key fourth-quarter interception.

"The problems Colt has had this season haven't been Colt's problems," coach Mack Brown said. "It has been what we have done around him."

McCoy had his throwing arm bandaged, and may have been showing signs of still suffering from a concussion he sustained the previous week in a 41-21 loss to Kansas State.

The quarterback will be without one of his favorite targets because receiver Limas Sweed will undergo wrist surgery to repair ligament damage that is expected to end his college career. Sweed, whose 20 touchdown catches rank second in school history, injured his wrist before the season started, but left last week's game after two catches.

"I knew it was an injury I would be dealing with going into the season and I did everything I could to play through the pain and help the team," Sweed said.

Sweed tied a school record last season with 12 touchdown receptions. He started 39 consecutive games and had 19 catches with three TDs in six games this year.

"His effort has been tremendous and we all respect him for that," McCoy said. "I feel like he's done everything he can for this team so far this year."

In order to pick up the slack with Sweed out, the Longhorns could use another big effort from Jermichael Finley, who set a school record for tight ends with 149 yards and a touchdown on four catches last weekend.

Texas, which was ranked No. 4 in the preseason, fell four spots after the loss to Oklahoma and barely stayed in the poll. The Longhorns have been ranked for 115 straight weeks, the longest streak in the country.

McCoy and the Longhorns will be going up against a familiar face on the Iowa State sideline Saturday. First-year Cyclones coach Gene Chizik was Texas' defensive coordinator from 2005-06.

Chizik and Iowa State (1-5, 0-2) have lost three straight, including a 42-17 loss to Texas Tech last Saturday. The Cyclones trailed 28-3 at the half, finished with just 287 yards and allowed the Red Raiders to pass for 460 yards.

"We were never in it, and I thought we were a bad football team in every way, shape and form," said Chizik, whose team faces No. 6 Oklahoma next week and No. 11 Missouri the following week. "I don't think we made any progress."

Iowa State had only two first downs by halftime and scored both of its touchdowns in the final five minutes. Quarterback Bret Meyer ran for a 5-yard score and was 15-of-26 for 187 yards and a touchdown to Todd Blythe.

"I'm real frustrated by the last game, because it felt like, as an offense, we did kind of take a step back," Blythe said.

Texas has won all six meetings with Iowa State, including a 37-14 win last season in Austin. McCoy completed 18-of-23 passes for 212 yards and two touchdowns.