With 9:28 remaining in the first half and KU lagging 10-0, KU coach Mark Mangino eschewed a 49-yard field goal attempt. Instead KU took a delay of game penalty that pushed the ball back to the ISU 37. Then Curtis Ansel punted three yards out of the end zone for a touchback, so the Jayhawks gained only 17 yards in the exchange. “We wanted to put them back,” Mangino said afterward. “We had to play a field position game.”

Iowa State kicker Adam Benike made a 32-yard field goal in the first quarter, but was wide right on a 33-yard attempt with 5:16 left before halftime. Early in the second half, ISU’s Tony Yelk attempted a 48-yard field goal that also went wide right.

KU soph linebacker Banks Floodman went down while covering a punt with 2:47 remaining before intermission and didn’t return. Floodman wasn’t touched, crumpling to the ground after planting his right leg and twisting his knee. “We’re not sure what it is yet,” Floodman said after the game. “We still don’t know what’s going on.” Despite playing less than a half, Floodman was credited with eight tackles.

KU’s offense was nearly invisible in the first half, averaging 1.8 yards per play (52 yards on 29 attempts). At the same time, ISU compiled 222 yards on 37 plays (6.0 per attempt). KU’s longest play was a 15-yard pass from Zach Dyer to Marcellus Jones.

Kansas began the second half with back-ups Bill Whittemore and Clark Green at quarterback and tailback respectively. Whittemore played the entire second half, completing just 4 of 17 pass attempts.

Iowa State’s Steve Paris appeared to have intercepted Whittemore in the end zone late in the third quarter, but the Cyclones were called for pass interference and the Jayhawks had new life, eventually settling for Johnny Beck’s 28-yard field goal on the last play of the quarter and their only points.

Four KU players were credited with 10 tackles apiece defensive backs Remuise Johnson and Johnny McCoy, and linebackers Leo Etienne and Greg Cole. Johnson also intercepted a Seneca Wallace pass the Cyclones’ lone turnover. True freshman Nick Reid, who subbed for Floodman in the second half, was credited with two sacks.

Six true freshmen were on Kansas’ 68-man travel roster wide receivers Charles Gordon and Mark Simmons, linebackers Reid and Kevin Kane, offensive lineman Bob Whitaker and defensive end Kyle Knighton.

Iowa State’s 511 yards were the most against a conference foe since that wild 50-47 Kansas win over the Cyclones 10 years ago. Hiawatha Rutland’s 122 rushing yards were a career-high.

Kickoff temperature was 77 degrees under sunny skies with a 5-10 mph wind out of the south The humidity was 71 percent. Randy Christal of Austin, Texas, was the referee in charge of the Big 12 Conference officiating crew. ISU officials pegged the attendance at 40,026 about 5,000 under capacity. KU’s marching band made the trip and performed at halftime.