Iowa State wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson (8) scores on a 36-yard touchdown reception ahead of Kansas safety Jayson Gilliom (10) during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021, in Ames, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Ames, Iowa — A ruinous first quarter for Kansas football in all three phases of the game allowed Iowa State to make quick work of the Jayhawks in a 59-7 blowout Saturday night at Jack Trice Stadium.

Slip-ups and miscalculations mounted for KU early, and long before the Jayhawks could even think about steadying themselves, the Cyclones had established an insurmountable lead.

The havoc, which played out in front of an ISU home crowd of 60,446, began just minutes into KU’s fourth consecutive loss.

A gamble by KU freshman cornerback Jacobee Bryant on ISU’s sixth snap of the evening was the first of the Jayhawks’ damaging mistakes in the game’s opening minutes. Bryant anticipated ISU quarterback Brock Purdy throwing his way, but the angle Bryant took and his timing while making a break on the pass were off. Xavier Hutchinson snagged the pass and made a quick turn upfield to cruise to a 30-yard touchdown.

The next gaffe came on offense for KU (1-4 overall, 0-2 Big 12). After recovering his own fumble on a botched exchange on the first play of the series, junior quarterback Jason Bean on second down completely lost his grip on the football while racing away from ISU pursuers.

Cyclones defensive end Zach Petersen found the freebie on the ground for his first career fumble recovery. Three plays and 24 yards later, a touchdown reception by Charlie Kolar had KU in a 14-0 hole less than seven minutes into the game.

“It was tough to get on track today,” KU head coach Lance Leipold said after the loss. “We turn it over uncharacteristically just running.”

The Jayhawks didn’t give the ball away on their next offensive series. But the last two plays of the abbreviated possession made it possible for ISU to get the ball back quickly yet again. A third-down throw from Bean (10-for-20 passing 120 yards, no touchdowns, one interception) to Kwamie Lassiter II near the sticks on the left sideline didn’t result in a first down, as Lassiter came up shy by less than a yard.

Leipold decided to go for it on fourth-and-short from KU’s own 45-yard line. The Cyclones snuffed a run by Devin Neal (15 carries, 83 yards) in the backfield to take over.

ISU (3-2 overall, 1-1 Big 12), exerted its dominance and went for the jugular. The Cyclones’ third drive was actually just one play: a deep 44-yard bomb from Purdy to a wide-open Joe Scates for a TD and a 21-0 margin.

The calamitous first quarter wasn’t done there. After Bean and Neal helped KU pick up some significant yardage for a change, as well as three first downs, the Jayhawks tried to get some points on the board when faced with fourth-and-7 on the ISU 17.

However, Eyioma Uwazurike thwarted Jacob Borcila’s 34-yard field goal attempt, smacking it out of the air. Greg Eisworth returned the denied field goal try 55 yards to put ISU right back in plus territory.

Four plays later, Purdy’s field day of a first quarter concluded with another TD throw.

The Cyclones took a 28-0 lead into the second quarter, and Purdy was 5-for-5 passing, for 96 yards and four TDs after just 15 minutes. Purdy exited the game late in the third quarter, with ISU up 38 points and the QB enjoying a final stat line of: 17-for-22, 245 yards, four TDs and no interceptions, plus five carries for 37 yards.

As rain moved in during the second quarter, a rare productive drive for the KU offense ended with the second turnover of the first half for Bean and the Jayhawks.

A 26-yard pass from Bean to receiver Trevor Wilson (three catches, 55 yards) and 13 yards on the ground via a scramble from Bean keyed the Jayhawks’ possession, getting them into the red zone.

But, on third-and-4 at the ISU 10-yard line, Bean tried to execute a difficult throw into the end zone while on the move.

The decision allowed Kym-Mani King, one of several ISU defenders in that area of the end zone, to nab an interception and maintain the shutout for the time being.

The ISU offense kept its foot on the gas, extending its lead to 35-0 after Breece Hall (17 carries, 123 yards, two TDs) ran in from 9 yards out, giving him ISU’s all-time record (37) for career rushing TDs.

On seven first-half possessions, KU punted three times, lost two turnovers, was denied on a fourth down attempt and had a field goal blocked.

By contrast, the Cyclones put on a clinic, punting just once in the first half. It concluded with a 3:01 drive that closed with a 26-yard field goal from Connor Assalley sailing through the uprights as the clock clicked down to 0:00, putting KU in an even deeper 38-0 cavern just before intermission.

Finally, with 9:17 left in the third quarter, the Jayhawks crossed the goal line to put some points on the board.

Redshirt sophomore running back Torry Locklin, who scored twice at Duke in Week 4, followed his blockers and then cut right on time to speed to a 12-yard touchdown run.

That was the lone highlight of the third quarter for the outmatched Jayhawks, though.

And on the final drive of the night for ISU’s starters, the Cyclones answered with little resistance, putting a prompt end to even the smallest amount of KU momentum. Hall finished his night with a 1-yard TD run on fourth down, setting up a 45-7 margin and a view from the sideline for the rest of the night for the Cyclones’ stars.

Adding to the Jayhawks’ misery, ISU’s backups promptly delivered the team’s seventh scoring drive of the night, as backup QB Hunter Dekkers ran away from the KU defense for a 41-yard TD that helped the Cyclones pass the 50-point mark before the fourth quarter of the drubbing began.

The Jayhawks have a bye week Oct. 9 and don’t return to action until Oct. 16, when they host Texas Tech at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.

SCORING BY QUARTERS

FIRST QUARTER

10:33 — Xavier Hutchinson 36 pass from Brock Purdy. Andrew Mevis kick. Six-play drive for 70 yards, in 3:07. (ISU 7, KU 0.)

8:51 — Charlie Kolar 6 pass from Purdy. Connor Assalley kick. Three-play drive for 24 yards, in 1:08. (ISU 14, KU 0.)

6:10 — Joe Scates 44 pass from Purdy. Mevis kick. One-play drive for 44 yards, in 0:07. (ISU 21, KU 0.)

0:48 — Jirehl Brock 7 pass from Purdy. Assalley kick. Four-play drive for 32 yards, in 1:28. (ISU 28, KU 0.)

SECOND QUARTER

3:01 — Breece Hall 9 run. Mevis kick. Seven-play drive for 80 yards, in 3:53. (ISU 35, KU 0.)

0:00 — Assalley 26 field goal. Eleven-play drive for 58 yards, in 2:02. (ISU 38, KU 0.)

THIRD QUARTER

9:17 — Torry Locklin 12 run. Jacob Borcila kick. Nine-play drive for 66 yards, in 4:03. (ISU 38, KU 7.)

5:27 — Hall 1 run. Assalley kick. Seven-play drive for 75 yards, in 3:45. (ISU 45, KU 7.)

2:27 — Hunter Dekkers 42 run. Mevis kick. Four-play drive for 58 yards, in 1:33. (ISU 52, KU 7.)

FOURTH QUARTER

3:13 — Deon Silas 16 run. Assalley kick. Six-play drive for 57 yards, in 3:26. (ISU 59, KU 7.)