b to extend his contract, whille there is analysis of Luis Suarez contribution this season as Barcelona sit on the verge of the

AMES, Iowa -- West Virginia blew its shot at the Big 12 title when it lost by four touchdowns to Oklahoma last week.The 19th-ranked Mountaineers still have plenty left to play for -- including their best season in the Big 12. West Virginia (8-2, 5-2, No. 18 CFP) has never won more than eight games since joining the league, and a win over Iowa State (3-8, 2-6) on Saturday would accomplish that goal.We lost to a top 10 team, so thats just what happened, West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen said. Weve had a great year. No one can take that away from us. Not going to let, not going to tolerate people talking about how we didnt do this or didnt do that.Still, the Mountaineers know that beating the Cyclones and Baylor next to close out the regular season would reassure a fan base thats suddenly anxious again.But Iowa State isnt the lightweight it was just two months ago. The Cyclones have won two in a row, including a 66-10 drubbing of Texas Tech last week that included a five-touchdown performance from quarterback Joel Lanning -- all on the ground.Iowa State also has one of the Big 12s best secondaries, ranking second in both yards allowed per game and yards allowed per attempt.The Cyclones can be leaky in stopping the run, though, a weakness the Mountaineers will no doubt look to exploit behind Justin Crawford and Rushel Shell III.Here are some of the story lines to follow as West Virginia and Iowa State prepare to meet for the fifth time:IMPROVING IOWA STATEEven though the Cyclones have eight losses, many of them turned out to be close games. Iowa State finally got its first Big 12 win against Kansas two weeks ago, and that appears to have sparked something within the program. The Cyclones thrashed the Red Raiders as a home underdog, defying the point spread by a staggering 60 points.Youve got to lay a great foundation, Iowa State first-year coach Matt Campbell said. To play some of your best football in November says a lot about the kids in our program, to be honest with you, because with our record and some of the tough losses that we had ... it would have been real easy for our kids to fold the tent.CRAWFORDS DAYWest Virginias loss to Oklahoma certainly wasnt Crawfords fault. He rushed for 331 yards, the third-most in school history, with five carries of at least 36 yards.Im sure hes going to continue to get better just as everyone does who has his work ethic and characteristics, West Virginia quarterback Skyler Howard said of Crawford.PARKED IN AS THE STARTERSLannings record-tying performance overshadowed a fantastic effort by Jacob Park, the player who took his starting spot. Park threw for 285 yards and a pair of touchdowns against Texas Tech on 14 of 18 passing.You see his confidence growing. Hes got a really good arm, Campbell said.THE NUMBERSThat West Virginia is third in the Big 12 standings is a tribute to its defense. The Mountaineers are eighth in the league in scoring offense, but their 5.4 yards allowed per play is second-best behind Baylor. ... Iowa State kicker Cole Netten has hit 20 of his last 21 field goal tries dating back to last season. ... The Cyclones are averaging close to 31 points in Big 12 games, which is their highest since the league was formed in 1996.HE SAID ITThere arent too many West Virginia teams that have finished 11-2. Our plan is, our goal is, we want to win out and just send our seniors out with a bang, West Virginia safety Jarrod Harper said.---More AP college football at www.collegefootball.ap.orgAir Force 1 For Sale . -- Most satisfying to Russ Smith about No. Air Force 1 Wholesale . Louis Blues. Shane Hnidy joins Brian Munz for the broadcast on TSN 1290 Radio at 7pm ct. https://www.cheapairforce1outlet.com/ .J. -- Pitcher Carl Pavano is retiring after 14 major league seasons. Air Force 1 On Sale .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. Air Force 1 Store . There was no hesitation from the 40th-ranked Pospisil, from Vernon, B.C., who admitted that he cut back on his training sessions over the last few days to conserve energy as the long ATP season finishes next week at the Paris Masters.Sky Sports Spanish football expert Guillem Balague takes a look at the big stories making headlines in Spain this week.With the season coming to a close across Europe, there are plenty of transfer rumours in the press, including strong links between Cristiano Ronaldo and PSG.Chelseas Diego Costa is also being talked about with a potential move back to Atletico Madrid, with Diego Simeone identifying three players he wants to bring to the club next season. Staying at the Vicente Calderon, Fernando Torres has said he is in talks with the club to extend his contract, whille there is analysis of Luis Suarez contribution this season as Barcelona sit on the verge of the La Liga title.ddddddddddddLooking across AS, Sport, Marca and more, Balague discusses the other big talking points, including a reported bust-up between Javier Mascherano and Neymar following the Catalans Champions League exit.Hit play on the video above to watch a full round-up of all the top stories in SpainAlso See:LISTEN: La Liga WeeklyLa Liga FixturesLa Liga Table ' ' '