Nebraska secondary coach Phil Elmassian this week sought to ignore pervasive discussion about Iowa State's struggling offense.

 Never mind the statistical evidence that overwhelmingly supports such talk.

 Elmassian still doesn't buy it.

 "We can't afford to buy it," Elmassian said. "It's not like we're going out and killing anybody ourselves."

Which brings us to the essence of today's crucial Big 12 North matchup at 1 p.m. at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa.

Will either offense find the end zone?

"We know we have to do a lot better," said Iowa State center Luke Vander Sanden. "The defense is really carrying the team right now."

So, what exactly has been slowing Iowa State's offense?

"That's a good question," Vander Sanden said. "I think it's players trying not to make mistakes over and over."

Iowa State, with former Nebraska offensive coordinator Barney Cotton calling the plays, ranks last in the Big 12 in both total offense (291.3 yards per game) and scoring offense (18.0).

Nebraska, with first-year head coach Bill Callahan at the controls, is 2-for-25 on third-down conversions in the last two games, including 0-for-14 last week against Missouri. The Huskers have had little-to-no rhythm.

Nevertheless, Callahan remains patient, at least publicly, with first-year starting quarterback Joe Dailey, who's 7-for-29 passing (24.1 percent) in the last two games.

"We're disappointed," Callahan said. "But Joe Dailey continues to work hard at becoming the quarterback we want him to be. He is trying his best in so many respects, and I stand behind him."

Despite their anemic offenses, Nebraska and Iowa State both remain in the thick of the Big 12 North championship chase.

Nebraska, 5-3 overall, leads the North with a 3-2 record. The Huskers close the regular season with games against second-ranked Oklahoma on the road and Colorado at home.

Iowa State (4-4) is tied with Missouri for second in the North at 2-3. The Cyclones finish the season against Kansas State on the road and Missouri at home.

"I look at Iowa State as a team that's ascending in every respect," Callahan said.

Well, almost every respect. In the Cyclones' last three games, their offensive yardage totals have steadily declined — 403 against Colorado, 257 against Baylor, 192 against Kansas.

Iowa State, however, defeated Baylor and Kansas thanks in large part to special teams and a defense that forced a combined eight turnovers. The Cyclones are particularly salty against the run, limiting opponents to 2.94 yards per attempt.

In that regard, today's game presents a potentially troublesome matchup for Nebraska, which last week leaned on its running game in a 24-3 triumph over Mizzou.

Husker junior I-back Cory Ross was a bright spot amid the gloom on offense, rushing for a career-high 194 yards and both of the team's offensive touchdowns. Ross, however, is playing with a nagging case of turf toe, an injury that originated three weeks ago.

Nebraska's defense, meanwhile, had been battling nagging cases of shoddy tackling and generally poor execution for three games before ending its slump against Missouri.

The Husker defense played with more focus last week, said senior cornerback Kellen Huston.

"Defensively, we're a very cohesive group right now," Huston said. "We have a one-track mind. We're going into Ames and do what we have to do."

The Huskers were whipped into a frenzy last week in part by Friday speeches from former NU defensive coordinator Charlie McBride and ex-Husker defensive end Jared Tomich.

"We're going to need more emotion on the road," Callahan said. "We'll need to manufacture that by any means — through communication, dialogue, through on-the-field repetition, through the constant encouragement of our coaches and the positive approach we've been taking with our players."

If things turns out well today for Nebraska, it'll be one major step closer to the Big 12 North crown. The Huskers last won the division in 1999.

"The picture's really clear to everyone," Husker junior offensive tackle Seppo Evwaraye said. "If we win the games on our schedule, we're going to be in Kansas City (for the Big 12 championship game).

"That's everybody's goal right now, especially the senior class."

Reach Steven M. Sipple at 473-7440 or ssipple@journalstar.com.