Des Moines, Iowa ? Iowa State would rather be called something other than spoiler in the final stretch.

Winner would be coach Dan McCarney’s preference.

Iowa State is 0-4 in Big 12 Conference play with four games left and has lost six straight overall. McCarney said his team just needs a victory, whether it’s against a contender in the conference race or someone else.

“We’ve learned a lot of hard lessons from those games,” McCarney said. “Through the toughest of times, the toughest of losses, there isn’t anybody around here that doubts we can get this thing done. It’s all how we finish now. We don’t like the way we started the Big 12 race, but let’s see how we finish these last four games.”

Two of Iowa State’s games are against contenders in the tightly bunched North division race. The Cyclones (2-6), who were off last weekend, play host to Kansas State Saturday and finish the season at Missouri. In between, they play Colorado and Kansas University.

Kansas State and Nebraska are tied for first in the division at 3-2, with Missouri half a game back at 2-2. So, yes, the Cyclones could spoil the championship hopes of some teams, but that’s not how they’re approaching it.

“We’re trying to get through the open week and get back and get refocused on Kansas State,” McCarney said. “We’ll coach with a mission, coach with a passion and hopefully the kids will play that way and give our fans something to be proud of the last few weeks of the Big 12 race.”

McCarney said the open week did what he had hoped. He said the team seems to have been rejuvenated and some players recovering from injuries are getting healthier.

In particular, defensive lineman Jordan Carstens and center Bob Montgomery should be at or close to full speed.

“They played the last two games but not at 100 percent,” McCarney said. “I think that there’s a chance to have them really close to 100 percent.”

Linebacker Nik Moser, defensive back Harold Clewis and offensive lineman Luke Vander Sander also might be able to play Saturday, though McCarney won’t know for sure until later in the week.

McCarney said he gave the team more time off than he did during a bye week earlier this season — to recover mentally as much as anything else. Five of the six teams that have defeated Iowa State in its losing streak are in the Top 25.

“The attitude was great,” McCarney said. “We had three of the most enthusiastic practices we’ve had all year. I fully expect that to continue as we come into game week.”