Game report: Iowa State 31, Kansas 24

First quarter

The key: KU was down 3-0, with Iowa State knocking on the door for another score at the Kansas 24-yard line. But Fish Smithson jumped in front of a pass at the 10, nabbing an interception before sailing out of bounds. That takeaway set up KU’s first scoring drive to take a 7-3 lead.

Second quarter

The key: On fourth-and-two at Iowa State’s 37-yard line, David Beaty called a timeout and was seemingly planning to go for the first down. But quarterback Carter Stanley took the snap and ... punted. Fans booed, and momentum flipped to Iowa State, which took its ensuing possession for a touchdown, pulling within 14-10.

Third quarter

The key: The Jayhawks were clinging to a one-point lead when Ke’aun Kinner jumped through the middle of the trenches and flew 39 yards for a touchdown. That gave KU a 24-16 lead and more cushion against an ISU offense that kept catching up.

Fourth quarter

The key: Iowa State’s 13-play, 41-yard drive that ate up 5:38 of clock in the final quarter, led mostly by running back David Montgomery, gave the Cyclones their final lead.

THE GRADES

Offense

C

The Jayhawks’ running backs — Ke’aun Kinner and Taylor Martin — combined for 35 carries for 235 yards and two touchdowns. And Carter Stanley, in his first career start, went 26 of 38 for 171 yards and a touchdown. But the offense stalled in the second half, and Stanley threw an interception on what could have been a game-tying drive in the fourth quarter.

Defense

D

Iowa State did not come into Saturday’s game as offensive world-beaters. The Cyclones came in 8th in the Big 12 in total offense but put up 31 points and 458 yards on Kansas, including 238 on the ground (5.2 yards per attempt).

Special teams

D

Coming into the game with a negative-0.5 yard-per-return average on punt returns, surely the only direction was up. But LaQuvionte Gonzalez fumbled the first punt that Iowa State sent at him, setting the Cyclones up at the Kansas 8-yard line. The Jayhawks made one of their two field goal attempts.

Coaching

C

David Beaty’s decision to punt (via its quarterback) on fourth-and-two at the Iowa State 37-yard line drew the ire of fans in attendance. But a nifty call on a kickoff — Gonzalez lying down in the end zone to camouflage himself (his uniform colors matching the colors of the end zone turf) — created some excitement for the Jayhawks.

Takeaways

Player of the game: Ke’aun Kinner rushed 18 times for 152 yards and a touchdown, finishing with an 8.4 yards-per-carry average on the day.

Reason to hope: The run game — powered by the Kinner/ Martin duo — finished with 257 yards and found its way Saturday, albeit against a struggling defense.

Reason to mope: Kansas held a 14-3 lead over a team winless in the Big 12, yet the Jayhawks still ended the day with a loss.

Looking ahead: The Jayhawks host Texas at 11 a.m. or 2:30 p.m. Saturday.

This story was originally published November 12, 2016 at 5:17 PM with the headline "Game report: Iowa State 31, Kansas 24."