AMES - The pace must change.

Following Iowa State's 56-3 thumping by Texas on Saturday, linebacker Alvin Bowen urged his teammates to get better in a hurry - or else. After all, Oklahoma is coming to Jack Trice Stadium next weekend, and the Sooners beat the Longhorns in the Red River Shootout.

So Bowen issued a warning: "If we don't play harder and smarter, then we're going to get blown out again," said Bowen. "We have to come out and play every game. I don't think we came to play today."

Hungry for victory following an 0-2 start in Big 12 Conference action, Texas outplayed Iowa State in every phase of the game.

The Longhorns rolled up 514 yards of total offense, with Colt McCoy often spectacular. McCoy dodged and ducked Iowa State's pass rush on the way to four touchdown passes. All day long, Texas receivers galloped through gaps in Iowa State's secondary.

"We just didn't do our job - period - like we were supposed to do," said Cyclone safety James Smith. "It's very frustrating."

Iowa State's offense withered after a hopeful start under some heat from the Longhorns' defense. The Cyclones settled for just a Bret Culbertson field goal and a 2007 low in total yards - 228.

Quarterback Bret Meyer threw two interceptions - one being run back for a touchdown - and found himself under fire again and again as the game wore on.

Meyer insisted the curtain wasn't coming down early for Iowa State. Still, he issued his own kind of warning.

"Obviously, we're frustrated," added the senior quarterback, who completed 17 of 33 passes. "But we've got five games left to go. If we practice and play frustrated and hang our head down and feel sorry for ourselves, it'll only get worse. But that's not the make-up of this team. You don't have to worry about that."

Oklahoma poses plenty of problems. Like Texas, the Sooners own fleet receivers, a good young quarterback in Sam Bradford and depth at running back. In other words, there are great athletes everywhere, just like Texas.

Yet, Iowa State's players insisted raw talent wasn't the difference between the Cyclones and Longhorns.

"Not really," said offensive tackle Doug Dedrick. "It's just that we made mistakes. They didn't."

Added Bowen, "We have the athletes to make plays. We're not doing anything scientific, we're not doing anything major. We're playing football. People need to realize that and step up and make plays."

As for head coach Gene Chizik, he faded back to themes that have been frequently repeated during a 1-6 start to his ISU career. He liked the Cyclones' effort from beginning to end. The search for little victories, even on a difficult Saturday, goes on.

Chizik, though, acknowledged that Mack Brown - his former boss at Texas - had built a program that plays on a field all its own.

"Mack is a class man and a phenomenal football coach," said Chizik, the former co-defensive coordinator at Texas. "If not one of the best, he's the best in the country, in my opinion. They've got great players.

"I think most programs would aspire to be something like that, in my opinion. Today, I thought that was evident. I thought they were coached well, and they played well. I just think that was evident in the way everything unfolded today. I have to give them a lot of credit."

SOONERS-CYCLONES ON TV - Iowa State's Homecoming game against No. 4 Oklahoma Saturday will kickoff at 11:30 a.m. CDT in Jack Trice Stadium and be telecast nationally on Fox Sports Net.

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