Key Match-ups:

1. Ohio special teams v. Iowa State's special teams: Often, this is the difference between an upset and a loss when a MAC school takes on a BCS school. For example, K-State's 95-yard-punt return and two 50+-yard Martin Gramatica field goals were the difference in KSU's 23-20 win over Ohio in 1997, and most Bobcat fans painfully remember the botched fake punt v. Ohio State in 1999 that helped turn a 10-10 game into a rout. (We won't even bring up the blocked punt against NC St. that...that...that... No, that's way too hard to bring up even five seasons later.)

Ohio came into this season with a proven strong return game in kick returner Dion Byrum and punt returner Stafford Owens, but had to replace Kevin Kerr, who punted, kicked off and handled all placements last year. Junior walk-on Greg DiMarino held off freshman walk-on Eric Lohbeck from LaSalle High in Cincinnati in the summer and hit a short 23-yard-field goal and made both of his extra point attempts against SEMO. Matt Miller averaged 39.4 on five punts with a long of 53 and four of the five going inside the 20.

More importantly, Ohio did not give up one punt return yard to SEMO. They did allow a 51-yard-kickoff return, however, which could have gone all the way against a team like Iowa State. Ohio needs to limit ISU's big plays, and keeping them from blocking a kick or having a long return is a good place to start. Chip Cox was excellent on punt coverage against SEMO, so Ohio will need to find a way to replace him as he is not expected to play v. ISU.

Noteworthy: Iowa State senior kicker Adam Benike set a school record last year with 93 points (46 of 48 extra points, 17 of 23 field goals).

2. ILB Dennis Chukwuemeka v. TB Michael Wagner: Chuke backed up the preseason hype with a MAC East Defensive Player of the Week performance in the opener. The Butkus Award candidate (14 tackles) and teammates dominated SEMO's running game, holding Indians' All-Conference back Corey Kinsey to 50 yards on 20 carries. Iowa State, meanwhile, also struggled on the ground against Northern Iowa at times, averaging 3.7 yards per carry against the Panthers. ISU coach Dan McCarney has benched freshman runner Stevie Hicks (12 carries, 19 yards v. UNI) in favor of senior Michael Wagner, a 5-7, 190 pounder who was much more productive in the opener with 87 yards on 17 carries.

Chuke will have to have another big game on Saturday. The last time the two teams met, a 31-28 Cylcone win in Athens in 2001, Iowa State dominated on the ground with 308 yards rushing in 53 attempts (5.8 ypc). Ohio will have to do much better this time around.

Noteworthy: Wagner rushed nine times for seven yards in Athens in 2001.

3. OG Aaron Bryant v. DT Jordan Carstens: Bryant, a preseason back-up subbing for injured senior Brian Brown, is thrown into the fire against one of the better defensive tackle duos in the Big 12. Carstens (6-5, 303) was second team All-Big 12 a year ago and was a starter the last time these two teams met. Fellow interior linemate Nick Leaders (6-2, 290) had 75 tackles as a true freshman a year ago. Bryant, redshirt freshman from Virginia, is starting his first game as a Bobcat and will be a crucial factor as to whether the Ohio option can get anything at all up the middle v. ISU. If the Cyclones are able to force the Bobcats wide looking for yards, it could be a long, long day for the Ohio offense.

Noteworthy: Carstens and Leader each had 11 tackles against Northern Iowa.

4. CB Dion Byrum v. WR Lane Danielson: Byrum's pirouette, leap and pick on a fade pattern in the end zone against SEMO was a thing of beauty, one of the better interceptions you'll ever see. The athletic sophomore, one of the best pure athletes ever to play the position at Ohio, will have to pick up the pace against Danielson, however. The senior, who torched Ohio in 2001 and has done nothing to show he's slowing down since, caught 63 balls for 1,073 yards a year ago. A former walk-on, Danielson is a big-play target. Byrum will be counted on for his own big plays for Ohio.

Noteworthy: In two career starts, sophomore Byrum has two interceptions. Redshirt freshman Thomas Wright, who will start opposite Byrum against ISU, intercepted a pass in his first collegiate game.