AMES, Iowa (AP) _ Dan McCarney and Dennis Franchione just can't seem to avoid one another, no matter where Franchione coaches. <br/><br/>Franchione was at TCU when he beat McCarney's Iowa State
Saturday, October 9th 2004, 6:47 pm
By: News On 6
AMES, Iowa (AP) _ Dan McCarney and Dennis Franchione just can't seem to avoid one another, no matter where Franchione coaches.
Franchione was at TCU when he beat McCarney's Iowa State team 31-21 in Ames in 1998. Three years later, Franchione was the coach at Alabama when the Crimson Tide beat Iowa State 14-13 in the Independence Bowl.
Now he's in his second season at Texas A&M, which plays at Iowa State on Saturday night.
``Everywhere he's gone, he's won,'' McCarney said. ``He stepped into a program that has some of the best talent in all of college football, every year. It's been that way for decades.
``This year, there's no question they look the same. You'll see some of the fastest, most athletic, some of the biggest players in our conference.
Texas A&M (3-1, 1-0 Big 12) began the year with a 41-21 loss at Utah, but the Aggies have been on a roll since and started conference play last week with a 42-30 victory over defending champion Kansas State.
``I don't know anybody in our league playing better football the last three weeks than them,'' McCarney said. ``If you do, I don't know who it is. Let me know.''
This will be just the second road game of the year for the Aggies, who are 0-6 away from home under Franchione and have lost those games by an average of 34 points.
``I think it always helps to take a good team with you when you go on the road. Hopefully, we're becoming closer to that,'' Franchione said.
``I don't necessarily mean wins and losses, but ... being able to have that mind that helps you beat the team you're playing in front of their home crowd. I think we're closer to being able to withstand that.''
It helps when Reggie McNeal is your quarterback. McNeal, a 6-foot-2, 206-pound junior who's as fast as a wide receiver, can stretch a defense with his passing and frustrate it with his running.
He has completed 54 percent of his passes for 815 yards and two touchdowns and averages 7.3 yards a carry. His 341 yards rushing lead the team.
``Reggie is certainly the catalyst that makes things go right now,'' Franchione said. ``His surrounding cast is helping him, but I think the biggest thing that has happened to him is that he has matured and grown into the position, grown into it as a leader.''
That's certainly evident to the Cyclones, who in their film study saw McNeal leaving Kansas State defenders grasping air on a 62-yard touchdown run last week.
``He can throw the ball, but he's got some wheels,'' ISU linebacker Erik Anderson said. ``He can juke you. He'll put a lot of stress on a defense. You've got to know where he is at all times.''
Iowa State (2-2, 0-1), which has lost 11 straight conference games, is looking to generate more offense and improve its pass protection. The Cyclones managed only 219 yards and gave up eight sacks in a 36-7 loss at Oklahoma State last week.
The running game needs the most work. Iowa State is 92nd nationally in rushing at 111 yards a game.
``Anytime you have a running game, it's the quarterback's best friend,'' quarterback Bret Meyer said. ``I think we're very close. I think the running game is going to take a step up this week.''
The last meeting between McCarney and Franchione was decided by inches. Alabama won that game in the Independence Bowl 14-13 when Tony Yelk's 47-yard field goal attempt was ruled wide right with 38 seconds left.
``The field goal was still good at the end of the game,'' McCarney said with a smile.
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