It was too little too late for Kansas football at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday. The Jayhawks fell 38-14 to the Iowa State Cyclones in Ames. After falling down 17-0 at halftime, Kansas never closed the gap. With the loss, Kansas football is now 5-6 on the season and 3-5 in Big 12 Conference play.
Iowa State set the tone for the afternoon on its first drive. The Cyclones wasted no time getting on the scoreboard with a 12-play 75-yard touchdown drive. From there, the Jayhawks were playing catch-up. After falling behind 17-0 at halftime, Kansas never closed the deficit to less than 10.
The Jayhawks did find some hope to open the second half with their first touchdown of the day. A quick 4-play 65-yard drive put Kansas on the board after Leshon Williams rushed in the four-yard score. Any momentum Kansas built from the quick scoring drive was quickly taken by Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht, who connected with Brett Eskildsen for his second touchdown catch of the day. Iowa State pushed its lead back to 17, 24-7, with about nine minutes to go in the third quarter.
Kansas responded by starting a productive drive. Daniels was sidelined after taking a big hit on a run, and backup quarterback Cole Ballard came in. He provided an instant spark by finding his tight end, Boden Groen, for a 21-yard touchdown. The Jayhawks cut the lead to 10, 24-14, just before the fourth quarter.
Once again, the Cyclones responded right back. Becht threw his third touchdown of the day to extend the lead back to 17. Any hope of a Jayhawk comeback was crushed after Daniels threw a red-zone interception with seven minutes left. Iowa State rushed in one last touchdown to make the score 38-14. Kansas fell down early and could never get back up and fully close the gap, and now falls to 5-6 on the season, with a tough opponent ahead.
Kansas will have one last chance to earn a sixth win and clinch bowl eligibility on Friday, Nov. 18, when the 8-1 and No. 12 Utah Utes come to town. Kickoff inside David Booth Kansas Memorial is slated for 11 a.m. CST, and the game will be broadcast on ABC or ESPN.
