TOLEDO, OHIO - Iowa State is now hunting for buried treasure.

The Cyclones' dig for a road victory hits the Glass Bowl today at 6 p.m., and a lot has happened to the Cyclones since Oct. 29, 2005.

That's when Dan McCarney's team, sparked by Todd Blythe's record-setting four touchdown catches, whipped Texas A&M, 42-14, in College Station. Since then, ISU has dropped six consecutive games on the opponent's turf. One of those defeats, an overtime decision at Kansas, cost the Cyclones a Big 12 North Division title.

Meanwhile, McCarney has gone and was replaced by Gene Chizik. And one of his players seemed startled when he learned about the Cyclones hunt for that piece of road success.

"Oh, man, that's a long time," said wide receiver R.J. Sumrall. "But I'm not really worried about on the road or at home. We're really focused on ourselves - doing what we can do and winning that individual battle."

So Sumrall, following the theme established by Chizik, insists the upcoming game is more about Iowa State than Toledo. Maybe that's true. Reducing turnovers and holding their own physically helped the Cyclones upset Iowa at Jack Trice Stadium after two tough defeats.

Going on the road, said Chizik, means forgetting about the thrill of victory and recalling what brought the Cyclones an emotional post-Iowa celebration last weekend.

"Focus wins on the road," said the first-year Cyclone coach. "I think you can let distractions be a really good excuse - the fans, the long plane trip and playing at night. You can find a million excuses, but the bottom line is you've got to focus and execute and do the things we just talked about that win every week no matter where you play. There's no secret to winning on the road in my opinion. You've got to do the same thing that you did at home."

Yet, the Cyclones will be meeting another group of players in a different uniform. And if Iowa State is looking for buried treasure, Toledo is trying to dig out of a landslide.

The Rockets, a 5-7 team last season, are 0-3 in 2007. They've scored a lot of points, but they've given up nearly 50 a game and more than 500 yards in total offense per outing. Three defensive seniors - free safety Tyrrell Herbert, cornerback Nigel Morris and end Sean Williamson - have missed two games each with injuries. Their status for Iowa State is unknown.

Lingering in the background is an ongoing investigation of point-shaving involving a former Toledo football player named Scooter McDougle. No one on the 2007 roster has been implicated.

Like Chizik, Rockets head coach Tom Amstutz has been stressing small victories that could lead to big results. Toledo gained 482 yards of offense in the 52-31 loss to Central Michigan. The Rockets' defense forced three turnovers while falling to Kansas, 45-13.

"I thought our defense improved in this (Kansas) game, especially in the second half," said Amstutz. "It's something we can build on. (Our) heads aren't down. They've worked hard and battled. We'll be ready for the next one."

While a total of 36 freshmen and sophomores have played in the last two games, Toledo can turn to some experienced hands, especially on offense. One of those sophomores, quarterback Aaron Opelt, played in nine games as a true freshman. Running back Jalen Parmele, a senior, gained 1,000 yards in 2006. Chris Hopkins is a two-time all-Mid American Conference athlete who set a Toledo single-game record for tight ends when he caught 13 passes a year ago.

The opponent? Iowa State. In fact, Hopkins was the intended receiver when ISU cornerback Chris Singleton knocked down a pass from quarterback Clint Cochran. That play gave the Cyclones a 45-43 win in triple-overtime.

Asked what he remembers about the Rockets, quarterback Bret Meyer said, "Just how resilient they were, especially being on the road. No matter what happens, they're not going to give up, especially at home. We have to play a full game."

Contact Jim Sullivan at (319) 291-1434 or jim.sullivan@wcfcourier.com

Capsule:

Who: Iowa State (1-2) at Toledo (0-3)

When: 6 p.m., today

Where: Glass Bowl (26,248), Toledo, Ohio

Television: None

Radio: KCNZ (1650-AM)

Series history: Iowa State leads, 1-0

Last meeting: The Cyclones edged the Rockets, 45-43, in a triple-overtime thriller that kicked off the 2006 season

Key matchup: Chris Hopkins vs. Todd Blythe. Hopkins, a two-time All-Mid-American Conference selection, set a team record for receptions by a tight end against ISU last year with 13. He's the Rockets' top pass catcher in 2007 with 13 in three games. Blythe is the Cyclones' career leader in touchdown catches, and he snared five passes in the victory over Iowa by working the short crossing patterns effectively. The man who has the better day could put their team on top.

Can Iowa State win? The Cyclones did it against Iowa as 17-point underdogs. ISU wasn't overpowering in any phase of the game but improved play across the board made a dramatic difference. And Gene Chizik's team is facing a Toledo defense that's played without several injured veterans for all or part of the year.

Can Toledo win? The Rockets have been blown out three times while giving up more than 49 points per game. But they're facing an Iowa State team under a rookie head coach that's going on the road for the first time this season. Like the Cyclones, the Rockets have shown flashes of good play in those three defeats, and they do have experienced players at several key positions. Tom Amstutz's team could see ISU as a golden chance to put a disastrous start in the rearview mirror.