The Iowa State Cyclones entered Saturday night with a 2-2 record, following a bitter loss to Baylor in Waco the previous Saturday. The Cyclones could not have found a better remedy than the lowly Kansas Jayhawks, who have not won a Big 12 conference game since October 2019 against Texas Tech.
Iowa State attacked the Jayhawks from the word go on Saturday, as Iowa State’s first drive resulted in a 36-yard touchdown pass from Brock Purdy to Xavier Hutchinson, to put the Cyclones up 7-0. Following a Kansas turnover, Brock Purdy went to the air again, finding Charlie Kolar in the back of the endzone for a sensation catch, to put Iowa State up 14-0. The Jayhawks would turn it over on downs on the following possession, and the first play of Iowa State’s next drive had Purdy launch a 46-yard bomb to Joe Scates for the touchdown to put Iowa State up 21-0. The Cyclones special teams would then rise up, blocking a Kansas field goal attempt, and returning the block into Kansas territory. Purdy would throw his 4th touchdown pass of the quarter to Jirehl Brock to put Iowa State up 28-0.
The Cyclones would add a Breece Hall touchdown run and a Connor Assalley field goal to go up 38-0 at halftime. Kansas would finally get on the scoreboard in the 2nd half, with a 12-yard touchdown run from Torry Locklin to cut the score to 38-7. Iowa State would get a touchdown drive late in the 3rd quarter, capped off by a Hunter Dekkers 41-yard run to give the Cyclones a 52-7 lead. Deon Silas would score the final touchdown of the night off a 16-yard run, to give the final score of 59-7.
Iowa State coach Matt Campbell: “I’m proud of our kids, I think we’ve continued to grow as a football team, which is really positive. Really grateful for our fanbase, great crowd tonight.”
Iowa State is on bye week next weekend, before traveling to Kansas State on October 16th.