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The last time Texas played at home, the Longhorns heard a rare chorus of boos during a humiliating loss to UCLA.
A loss to Oklahoma a week later only intensified the shock and malaise that hung over the program. Texas fell out of the Top 25 for the first time in a decade.
After a month on the road, No. 22 Texas returns home Saturday a much happier bunch following a big win at Nebraska. Texas (4-2, 2-1 Big 12) hosts Iowa State (3-4, 1-2) on Saturday in the first of five home games in the second half of the season.
''We've got to redeem ourselves at home,'' defensive tackle Alex Okafor said.
The 34-12 loss to UCLA snapped a 16-game home wining streak and left Texas badly shaken. Coach Mack Brown left the stadium that day apologizing to Texans fans for the ''embarrassing'' display, and his team went out the next week and lost 28-20 to the rival Sooners.
Brown often talks about the swagger of typical Texas teams, swagger that disappeared until the Longhorns beat Nebraska. That victory on the road allowed the players to strut around campus again.
''You can definitely feel the difference as far as the spirits being higher. It feels good to get back on track,'' senior wide receiver James Kirkendoll said.
Brown said it was good for his players to get out of Texas for a week.
''One even told me it's unusual to go somewhere where a whole state hates you. I think our guys respond really well in that situation. They never panic,'' Brown said. ''(But) we need our fans. This team needs our fans. Some of our teams have not, but this team needs our fans.''
The Cyclones looked dangerous after beating Texas Tech 52-38 back on Oct. 2. But two crushing losses to No. 9 Utah (68-27) and No. 3 Oklahoma (52-0) followed.
''When both sides of the ball play bad, there's really nothing you can do,'' Iowa State quarterback Austen Arnaud said of the loss to Oklahoma.
It doesn't look to get much better for Cyclones.
Texas is the fourth ranked team on the schedule with two more, Nebraska and Missouri, still to play. The Cyclones, who won the Insight.com bowl last season for just their third postseason win in school history, have to win three of their last four to become bowl eligible this season.
Second-year coach Paul Rhoads, who took over a team that lost 10 in a row in 2008 and won seven games last season, knows there's still a big talent gap between the Cyclones and Longhorns.
Iowa State has 20 players from Texas and Rhoads plans to continue mining the Lone Star State for recruits.
''We'll be scheduling two trips to the state of Texas every year,'' Rhoads said. ''There's an anxiety and an excitement for those guys going back home. There's going to be a lot of people in the stands to watch them play.''
Most of them in the stands this Saturday will be wanting a Texas victory, something the home crowd hasn't seen since the 34-7 win over Wyoming on Sept. 11 - a long time ago.
