Die Macht » the Cubs placed him on the temporary inactive list on Aug. 9

AMES, Iowa -- At one time, Oklahomas early November trip to Iowa State might have looked like a potential upset that could turn the playoff picture upside down.The Sooners will need to do a lot more than beat the lowly Cyclones on Thursday night to even think they can reach footballs Final Four.But a loss would put No. 12 Oklahomas only realistic remaining goal, a Big 12 title, in serious jeopardy.The Sooners (6-2, 5-0 Big 12, No. 14 CFP ) have recovered well enough for an ugly 1-2 start to put themselves in position to win yet another league title.And while visiting Ames to play Iowa State (1-7, 0-5) still looks somewhat dangerous on paper, the reasons why Cyclones havent beaten Oklahoma at home in decades remain in play.Iowa State has talent at the skill positions and in the secondary. But the Cyclones have yet to learn how to win under first-year coach Matt Campbell.Iowa State has led at halftime in three of its five Big 12 games. It has also been within seven points three times in the conference, but its inability to close teams out has doomed the Cyclones to a seventh straight losing season.Theyre a team that plays hard, Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said. Weve got to be at our best here on a short week.Here are some of the keys to consider as Oklahoma goes on the road in search of its sixth straight win:MISSING MIXONThe Sooners will head to Ames short-handed in the running game. Samaje Perine is expected to miss the trip with a pulled leg muscle, and Joe Mixon was suspended for the game after violating team rules. Those two have combined for 1,188 yards and 11 touchdowns this season. Freshman Abdul Adams, who had 91 yards in a 56-3 blowout of Kansas on Saturday, will likely get the start for Oklahoma.LANNING OR PARK?Quarterback Jacob Park got the majority of the snaps for Iowa State in last weekends 31-26 home loss to Kansas State . But Joel Lanning is expected to make the start yet again for the Cyclones. Park threw for 301 yards against the Wildcats, but Iowa State put itself in a 21-point hole it couldnt escape from. The toughest part of that to swallow is the consistency of play thats needed to win football games. I put that on myself, our coaches, Campbell said.ON THE DEFENSIVEOklahomas defense is 93rd nationally with 437.5 yards allowed per game. But after allowing 854 yards in a win over Texas Tech, the Sooners allowed just 170 on 65 plays against the Jayhawks. Much different than the week before in our ability to make competitive plays, challenge passes, Stoops said.CYCLONES DIowa States scoring defense (32.4 points per game) is actually lower than Oklahomas by a tenth of a point. But the Cyclones are last in the Big 12 in rushing defense at 233.6 yards per game, so if theres one game the Sooners can afford to be without Perine and Mixon it might be this one.BIG 12 RACEWith Baylor and West Virginia up next, Oklahoma could possibly lock up the Big 12s last title without a championship game a full two weeks before facing rival Oklahoma State at home. The Cowboys are 4-1 in the league and their next three opponents; Kansas State, Texas Tech and TCU, are just a combined 13-11.---More college football at www.collegefootball.ap.org Vans Shoes Outlet USA . After dropping their final six games of December, the Wild opened the new calendar year with four consecutive wins. Following a loss to Colorado on Saturday, Minnesota rebounded the following night to blank Nashville 4-0, but then had the tables turned on them Tuesday. Cheap Vans Shoes For Sale . Brett Kulak and Jackson Houck of the Vancouver Giants were each charged with assault causing bodily harm on Aug. 18, according to the B.C. court services. http://www.vansoutletstore.com/ . -- Stanfords Kevin Danser knelt on one knee and hardly moved on the sideline as Michigan State celebrated its Rose Bowl victory and his Cardinal teammates made their way to the locker room. Cheap Vans Shoes China . All of the scoring came in the final 20:04. Lucic scored on a power play at 15:46 of the third period, when he tipped a shot over Stars goalie Kari Lehtonen for a 3-1 lead. Wholesale Vans Shoes Online . The Cleveland Indians, Tampa Bay Rays, and Texas Rangers all won on Sunday meaning the Rangers will host the Rays in a play-in game on Monday. CHICAGO -- Jorge Soler has made the Chicago Cubs lineup deeper by going deep.Soler, who hit a three-run home run to lead Chicago to a 6-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday night, has hit seven home runs in seven starts since coming off the disabled list in early August. Hes hitting .379 in 10 games over that stretch.When Jorge is in there it makes a deep, long lineup, said Cubs catcher David Ross, who hit a solo home run as the Cubs won their third straight and 17th in 20 games.When he was out ... the lineup was shortened, you know, once you get past a certain guy, its a little easier to navigate the lineup, Ross said.Hitting in the sixth spot, Soler sent Milwaukee starter Jimmy Nelsons 2-2 pitch far over the wall in left-center field, depositing it just under the videoboard atop the stands.The homer capped a five-run first inning after RBI singles by Ben Zobrist and Addison Russell.That made for an easy night for Cubs starter Jon Lester (13-4), who got his fourth straight win, giving up one run and three hits in 6 2/3 innings while striking out seven. He hasnt lost since July 3.You get five runs after the bottom of the first, it kind of relaxes you, you dont have to grind as much, Lester said.Lester and the rest of the Cubs starting pitchers have been magnificent, going 11-0 in August, with Chicagos only two losses being hung on relievers. But Lester credited the offense for the starters success.It makes our lives as pitchers a lot easier when theyre consistent, and doing what theyve been doing pretty much the whole year for us, Lester said. We just kind of go about our business after what they do.Nelson (6-13) walked leadoff batter Dexter Fowler then hit Kris Bryant with a pitch to begin the first. Then came Solers home run.Cubs manager Joe Maddon said Soler has worked on staying patient since coming back from the DL.Hes really staying in the zone, Maddon said.Carl Edwards Jr. and Travis Wood combined for 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief for the Cubs.Nelson is 1-10 over his last 14 starts.Milwaukee rarely threatened Lester. The Brewers got a run in the sixth when Keon Broxton singled, then stole two bases before scoring on a groundout byy Orlando Arcia.dddddddddddd Milwaukee loaded the bases on two singles and a walk in the second inning, but Lester got Nelson to ground into an inning-ending forceout.The loss was the fifth in six games for the Brewers.Were having a tough go of it putting together offense, Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said. But theres no breaks, no quit. We just keep going at it.LA STELLA RETURNSCubs INF Tommy La Stella will report to Double-A Tennessee, and Maddon said he hopes La Stella will be back with the big league team by early September. La Stella was optioned to Triple-A Iowa on July 29, but refused to report, and the Cubs placed him on the temporary inactive list on Aug. 9. La Stella reportedly said he was contemplating retirement. Hes reported to Double-A, and moving on up to Triple-A, and hell be back here probably by the first of September, Maddon said before the game. La Stella, 27, was hitting .295 in 51 games for the Cubs this season before the demotion.TRAINERS ROOMBrewers: OF Ryan Braun is day-to-day after crashing into a wall at Wrigley Field on Tuesday. Braun injured his left knee and ankle and was out of the lineup Wednesday. Braun and Counsell said he might be ready to play Thursday in Chicago and is expected to play over the weekend in Seattle. ... RHP Chase Anderson, who was hit in the left quadriceps by Bryants comebacker Tuesday, said he felt much better and would play light catch and evaluate from there. Counsell said Anderson might be well enough to start in the Brewers three-game series in Seattle.Cubs: OF Chris Coghlan was placed on the 15-day DL on Wednesday with a right rib contusion. ... RHP Joe Smith was placed on the 15-day DL with a left hamstring strain. The sidearm reliever said he didnt feel right during his ninth-inning appearance on Tuesday, when he walked two of the three hitters he faced, and that it might be a recurrence of an injury from May.UP NEXT:The Cubs send RHP Jake Arrieta (14-5, 2.55) to the mound for the series finale on Thursday. RHP Zach Davies (9-5, 3.80) will pitch for the Brewers. ' ' '