KU football holds off Iowa State for 28-21 road win

Kansas quarterback Jason Bean (9) throws a pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Iowa State, Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023, in Ames, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Ames, Iowa — Kansas rose to the occasion and turned in a top-shelf defensive performance on the road for the first time all season, holding Iowa State to 75 rushing yards and supplying just enough offense to claim a 28-21 win.

Jason Bean found Lawrence Arnold for an 80-yard touchdown midway through the fourth quarter to keep the Cyclones at arm’s length, and then Jared Casey held on to a crucial catch that allowed KU to run the clock out on its final drive.

Bean finished 14-for-23 for 287 yards, the key touchdown and, crucially, no interceptions. His counterpart Rocco Becht was an efficient 20-for-26 but threw a pick six to Mello Dotson that helped the Jayhawks jump ahead early on.

KU benefited from an automatic review on ISU’s opening drive that spotted Becht short of the line to gain on a third-down scramble, then marched down the field for a touchdown on its own first possession. Bean found Quentin Skinner on a short connection that the receiver turned into a 31-yard gain with an open-field move, then Arnold made a leaping grab on fourth-and-10, plus Bean was hit after the play for a penalty, to set up a goal-to-go situation. Devin Neal punched in the opening score on a direct snap from 6 yards out.

The Jayhawks had little success in the run game, but Bean continued to rise to the occasion, dropping an over-the-shoulder throw in the bucket to Luke Grimm on a long third down. However, he passed up an opportunity to scramble on third-and-3 and missed Daniel Hishaw Jr. out of the backfield. KU settled for a Seth Keller field goal attempt, and Keller was no good from 41 yards to close the first quarter.

Instead, the Jayhawks’ next score came out of nowhere when Becht misfired on a short route, delivering the ball directly to Dotson, who returned it 50 yards for a touchdown, his second game in a row with a defensive touchdown.

Dotson was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct for removing his helmet, pushing back Tabor Allen’s ensuing kickoff, and Jaylin Noel returned it deep into KU territory. It looked at first like Noel had reached the KU 1-yard line, but he was ruled to have stepped out 30 yards earlier. Rich Miller sacked Becht on third-and-9 to derail the drive and Iowa State punted.

The Jayhawks opted for a kicker switch on a 50-yard attempt late in the first half and gave the powerful lefty Owen Piepergerdes a try shortly before the half, but his kick went wide left. With 38 seconds to go, ISU took over and got Becht into a bit of a rhythm. The Cyclones converted a third down on a screen pass by Carson Hansen, then got into the red zone when Becht found Dimitri Stanley. They got on the board with a field goal from Chase Contreraz in the dying seconds of the first half.

A personal foul on Trent Jones helped KU escape an unfavorable down and distance on the first drive of the third quarter. Bean found Skinner just outside the end zone for a 23-yard connection and Neal scored again. Piepergerdes hit the point-after to put the Jayhawks up 21-3.

KU’s run defense continued to hold firm, but Gage Keys got called for roughing the passer, and then Becht found a couple of holes in the coverage at key moments. Cartevious Norton leaked out of the backfield for 15 yards on a third-and-15, then Stanley came open over the middle late on a third-and-14 for 42 more. Eli Sanders got the Cyclones their first touchdown of the night on a 6-yard run to conclude a six-minute drive, then added a two-point conversion.

The Jayhawks’ offense was spinning its wheels until Skinner made another key play, securing a leaping catch between ISU defenders Darien Porter and Blake Thompson. However, a holding penalty and a one-play absence for Bean following a hit to his leg led to a KU punt that pinned the Cyclones back deep.

They made their way out of the hole with another big conversion from Becht to Noel, before a well-executed 42-yard trick play that saw Noel connect with Jayden Higgins on a double pass. Becht powered his way in for another touchdown from 2 yards out to draw ISU even closer with half a quarter to go.

KU responded immediately with a crafty bit of play-action: a fake speed option that saw Arnold streak wide open down the middle of the field for the 80-yard touchdown pass from Bean and curbed the Cyclones’ momentum.

It also sent the increasingly shaky Jayhawks defense back out on the field, and Becht promptly connected with Daniel Jackson for another 35 yards. But Caleb Taylor dragged the quarterback down on third down to hold ISU to another field goal from Contreraz .

KU was able to seal the result with a play-action lob over the top to Jared Casey on a decisive third-and-3.

The Jayhawks will return home to host Texas Tech next Saturday.

How they scored

First quarter

8:40 — Devin Neal 6-yard run. Seth Keller PAT good. Nine plays, 87 yards, 4:32 TOP. KU 7, ISU 0.

Second quarter

10:21 — Mello Dotson 50-yard interception return. Seth Keller PAT good. KU 14, ISU 0.

0:03 — Chase Contreraz 35-yard field goal good. Seven plays, 50 yards, 0:35 TOP. KU 14, ISU 3.

Third quarter

9:24 — Neal 1-yard run. Owen Piepergerdes PAT good. 11 plays, 75 yards, 5:36 TOP. KU 21, ISU 3.

3:26 — Eli Sanders 6-yard run. Conversion good. Nine plays, 75 yards, 5:58 TOP. KU 21, ISU 11.

Fourth quarter

8:11 — Rocco Becht 2-yard run. Contreraz PAT good. 12 plays, 90 yards, 6:59 TOP. KU 21, ISU 18.

7:51 — Lawrence Arnold 80-yard pass from Jason Bean. Piepergerdes PAT good. One play, 80 yards, 0:12 TOP. KU 28, ISU 18.

4:56 — Contreraz 29-yard field goal. Seven plays, 64 yards, 2:58 TOP. KU 28, ISU 21.

Game Stats

Kansas 7 7 7 7 – 28

Iowa State 0 3 8 10 – 21

Kansas | Iowa State

First downs 16 | 16

Rushing yards 74 | 75

Passing yards 287 | 258

Total offense 361 | 33

Fumbles lost 0 | 0

Interceptions 1 | 0

Penalties-yards 8-80 | 7-64

Individual Stats

Rushing: Kansas – Neal 21-57; Hishaw 9-29; Bean 3-1; Team 2-(-13); Iowa State – Sanders 14-57; Norton 7-23; Becht 8-(-5).

Passing: Kansas – Bean 14-23, 287; Oklahoma State – Becht 20-26, 216; Noel 1-1, 42.

Receiving: Kansas — Arnold 3-112; Skinner 3-84; Grimm 3-32; Neal 2-4; Scott 1-21; Emilien 1-21; Casey 1-13; Iowa State — Stanley 5-59; Noel 5-54; Higgins 3-56; Brahmer 2-19; Norton 2-13; Dean 2-9; Jackson 1-35; Hansen 1-13.

Kansas wide receiver Lawrence Arnold (2) catchers a pass over Iowa State defensive back Jontez Williams (31) during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023, in Ames, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Kansas wide receiver Lawrence Arnold (2) runs from Iowa State defensive back Ben Nikkel (18) after catching a pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023, in Ames, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Kansas quarterback Jason Bean (9) throws a pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Iowa State, Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023, in Ames, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Kansas wide receiver Luke Grimm (11) catches a pass in front of Iowa State defensive back Jontez Williams (31) during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023, in Ames, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Kansas running back Devin Neal (4) runs from Iowa State linebacker Gerry Vaughn (32) during a touchdown run in the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023, in Ames, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)