Notebook

¢ At 6-5 with a bowl game to play, KU is assured of its first non-losing season since joining the Big 12 Conference. The Jayhawks were 10-2 in 1995, then finished below .500 in the nine seasons to follow. That included the 2003 Tangerine Bowl team that finished 6-7 with the bowl-game loss.

¢ Kansas quarterback Jason Swanson left early in the fourth quarter after being tackled by two Iowa State players while completing a pass to Derek Fine. Swanson appeared to hurt his left knee, though he was standing on the sideline soon after, watching Brian Luke fill in.

“He could’ve (returned) but he wouldn’t have been 100 percent,” KU coach Mark Mangino said. “He was in some pain. I’m not sure how functional he would’ve been.”

Mangino laughed and said “no” when asked if there was a new quarterback controversy with Luke’s solid performance.

¢ Luke’s one-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter initially was ruled a turnover on downs. Facing fourth-and-goal from the one-yard line, Luke lunged over the line before rolling around to the right and trying to dive in the end zone. Officials originally said he didn’t get in, but replay was implemented, and the call was reversed.

“I knew I was in there,” Luke said. “Fortunately, we had the replay.”

The ensuing two-point conversion tied the game at 14.

¢ Charles Gordon also sat out snaps because of an undisclosed injury. After playing both defense and offense, Gordon spent much of the second half on the sidelines. After the game, Gordon was seen with a sling on his right arm.

¢ Wide receiver Mark Simmons also had problems staying on the field after suffering numerous cramps through the fourth quarter and overtime. He said afterward he would be all right.

¢ KU fans again attacked the goalposts, marking the third straight victory to be followed by an on-field celebration by the fans. The south goalpost was brought down by KU officials, but the north post, the one Scott Webb booted the game-winning field goal through, couldn’t be saved.

¢ KU honored 20 players on Saturday for Senior Day, playing a five-minute video montage and honoring each player individually before the game. Linebackers Banks Floodman, Kevin Kane and Nick Reid received the loudest ovations. Kane’s grandmother, Virginia Kane, passed out sombreros to each of those linebackers after the game, calling them “The Three Amigos.”

¢ The Jayhawks tried several different options returning kickoffs, including Gordon, Clark Green and Marcus Herford. Normal kick-return specialist Greg Heaggans was honored for Senior Day, but did not play.

¢ Linebacker Reid registered 12 tackles Saturday, giving him 106 for the season. It’s the third straight year he has topped 100 tackles, and he becomes the 10th player in Big 12 Conference history to have 400 career stops.

¢ Ronnie Amadi blocked a punt in the second quarter, the second time he’s made a block this season. Amadi also recovered the block, but KU couldn’t capitalize and score on the ensuing drive.

¢ Iowa State nearly scored its third touchdown with 10:02 left in the third quarter, when Meyer found Todd Blythe down the right sideline for what appeared to be a 39-yard touchdown on third down. Blythe and Aqib Talib both appeared to have some control of the ball, and the play eventually was ruled an incomplete pass because Blythe’s foot was out-of-bounds when he came down. KU kicked a field goal on the ensuing possession to make the score 14-6, ISU.

¢ Before Talib intercepted a third-quarter pass, Iowa State quarterback Bret Meyer had thrown 155 passes without getting picked. Until then, Meyer hadn’t been intercepted since ISU lost to Missouri on Oct. 15.

¢ Attendance was announced at 42,826. For the season, KU averaged 43,675 fans at home, a school record.

¢ Jon Bible was referee and head of a seven-man officiating crew. … Temperature was 58 degrees at kickoff under fair skies, and the wind blowing from the south-southeast at 13 mph.