🏈 Jayhawks Fall on the Road to No. 22 Iowa State, 41-31
AMES, Iowa – The Kansas Jayhawks (3-8, 1-7 Big 12) totaled 493 yards and scored 31 points, but fell to the No. 22-ranked Iowa State Cyclones (7-4, 5-3 Big 12), 41-31, in their final road game of the season at MidAmerican Energy Field at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa, on Saturday.
Sophomore Pooka Williams Jr., crossed the 2,000 career yards mark on Saturday, carrying the ball 19 times for 154 yards, while hauling in one touchdown reception. Williams becomes the first Jayhawk to rush for 2,000 or more yards in his first two seasons as a Jayhawk since Gale Sayers in 1962-63. The game also marked Williams’ eighth-career game rushing for 100 or more yards.
Senior Carter Stanley completed 21-of-41 passes for 328 yards and three scores, moving him into second in KU history in career passing touchdowns with 37. Stanley only trails Jayhawk great Todd Reesing in career touchdown passes. Junior Andrew Parchment led the Jayhawks in receiving with 86 yards, while fellow junior teammate Stephon Robinson Jr., hauled in five receptions for 75 yards and a touchdown. Freshman Spencer Roe scored on a two-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter, marking the first of his career.
On defense, KU was led by a season-high 13 tackles from senior safety Mike Lee, marking the fifth game in his career with double-digits in tackles. Lee also recorded an interception off of a tipped pass in the third quarter, which was the fifth of his career. Sophomore linebacker Jay Dineen joined Lee in double-figures in tackles, recording 10 in the game.
The Jayhawks fall to 1-4 on the road this season, as Kansas returns home for its season finale against the Baylor Bears on Saturday, Nov. 30. The game will serve as Senior Day for the Jayhawks, as they commemorate the team’s 23-man senior class. Kickoff time and broadcast information will be released on Saturday evening.
In the fourth quarter, Carter Stanley threw his third touchdown of the afternoon, this time to Stephon Robinson Jr., to put KU up 31-27. The touchdown marked Robinson’s eighth of the season, moving him into a tie for fourth in season touchdown receptions, while the touchdown was Stanley’s 37 career passing touchdown, which is the second most in KU history, behind only Todd Reesing.
JAYHAWKS TAKE THE LEAD
Kansas takes the lead late in the third quarter after Mike Lee recorded an interception on a tipped Iowa State pass, setting up a two yard touchdown pass from Carter Stanley to Spencer Roe, marking Roe’s first-career touchdown. The Jayhawks then converted on a two-point conversion to make the score 24-21.
Carter Stanley finds Pooka Williams Jr., for a 27-yard passing touchdown to bring the score to 21-16, Iowa State.
In the second quarter, Pooka Williams Jr., broke through the Iowa State defense for a 48 yard rush, moving him over 2,000 career rushing yards. He became just the second Jayhawk to rush for 2,000 or more yards in his first two seasons and the first since Gale Sayers.
Junior kicker Liam Jones connects on his second field goal of the day, this time from 37 yards to bring the score to 7-6, with Iowa State leading.
Quarterback Carter Stanley finds wide receiver Daylon Charlot open for a 31-yard reception, which set up a 36-yard field goal from Liam Jones, which put the Jayhawks up 3-0 to start the game.
