Iowa State Edged by Kansas, 14-11

LAWRENCE, Kansas – Despite a dominant second half from the defense, Iowa State (3-2, 0-2 Big 12) was unable to make the plays to overcome Kansas (5-0, 2-0 Big 12) as the Jayhawks earned a 14-11 Homecoming victory Saturday at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.

Iowa State was in a 14-0 hole in the second quarter, but a quick score on the next drive and dominant effort from the defense kept the Cyclones in it. In Kansas' six drives that followed their second touchdown, ISU held KU to just 73 yards and forced a turnover but the Cyclones were not able to take advantage, as Jace Gilbert's 37-yard field goal with 32 seconds remaining went wide left.

In defeat, Xavier Hutchinson brought in a career-high 13 catches (tied for the third-most in a game in ISU history) for 101 yards. Hunter Dekkers went 30-of-48 with 287 yards and a touchdown to Easton Dean.

On defense, Jeremiah Cooper led the way with a career-best seven tackles (five solo), while O'Rien Vance had six tackles and forced and recovered a fumble that helped keep ISU in the contest.

After spotting the Jayhawks a 14-0 lead halfway through the second quarter, Iowa State emphatically responded with a 6-play, 75-yard response which Easton Dean capped with a nine-yard TD reception from Dekkers, with the Cyclones converting a high-snap on the PAT into two points with holder Blake Clark keeping it and running it in to make it a 14-8 deficit.

While the Iowa State defense stepped up to keep the Kansas offense at bay, the Cyclone offense was able to put three more points onto the board, as Jace Gilbert capped off a 12-play drive with a 35-yard field goal that made it 14-11 KU.

The Cyclone defense got another stop, but the Kansas punt team did well to pin ISU inside its own one-yard line. Not for the first time in 2022, the Cyclones made the disadvantageous field position work, taking 18 plays and a little over six minutes to get inside the KU 30, but ISU could not keep the scoreboard ticking over as Gilbert pinged his 45-yard field goal attempt off the right upright (the second time he had hit the right upright in the game).

A first quarter that took just 26 minutes saw the Cyclones able to sustain a strong drive, eating up 7:37 with a 14-play, 63-yard drive. However, the Cyclones were unable to convert the effort into any points with Gilbert hitting the right upright on a 38-yard field goal try to keep it scoreless.

Kansas took advantage into the second quarter, assembling a 7-play, 79-yard drive that finished with a Daniel Hinshaw dive for a touchdown to give the Jayhawks a 7-0 lead. Three plays later, Dekkers was picked off by Cobee Bryant, leaving Kansas just 19 yards, which they converted into a touchdown four plays later via a Jalon Daniels keeper that doubled the Jayhawk lead to 14-0.

Up Next
Iowa State returns to Jack Trice Stadium to host No. 25 Kansas State next Saturday at 6:30 p.m. on ESPNU.

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Team Stats

Hunter Dekkers

Players Mentioned

Blake Clark

Jeremiah Cooper

Easton Dean

Hunter Dekkers

Jace T. Gilbert

Xavier Hutchinson

O'Rien Vance

Players Mentioned

Blake Clark

Jeremiah Cooper

Easton Dean

Hunter Dekkers

Jace T. Gilbert

Xavier Hutchinson

O'Rien Vance

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics