Cyclones Come Up Short in Offensive Battle, 41-36

Saturday, October 10

Lawrence, Kan.

11:30 AM

Iowa State

Kansas

Cyclones Come Up Short in Offensive Battle, 41-36

10.10.2009 | Football

By: cyclones.com

LAWRENCE, Kan. ? Like two prizefighters exchanging punch for punch, Iowa State and Kansas battled Saturday at Kivisto Field. The lead changed hands six times as the Iowa State offense posted its best offensive performance of the season. The Cyclones had one last gasp drive in the final three minutes of the game which expired at the KSU 31-yard line with one minute left in the game. Ultimately, it was Kansas scoring the win, 41-36.

Robinson was over 100-yards for the fourth game this season, rushing for a career-high 152 yards on 27 carries and two touchdowns. ISU quarterback Austen Arnaud hit on a season-high 25 passes for a season-high 293 yards and two touchdowns.

The ISU offense came out smoking in the second half, driving down the field to set up a 34-yard field goal by Grant Mahoney. The key play of the drive was a 21-yard run by Robinson. KU led 20-15 with 9:58 to go in the third quarter. Iowa State's defense then held at midfield.

On the Cyclones' ensuing drive a 22-yard rumble by Robinson and a 39-yard pass play from Arnaud to Marquis Hamilton set up a 2-yard TD run by Arnaud as the Iowa State quarterback dragged a host of Kansas defenders into the endzone. Arnaud then hit Williams with a pass for a successful two-point conversion as ISU led 23-20 with 6:45 left in the third quarter.

Again, Kansas answered with a 23 yard TD pass to Dezmond Briscoe that put KU up 27-23. But, trading blow for blow, Iowa State's offense drove 71 yards down the field, capping its counter with a 17-yard scoring pass to Hamilton. The Cyclones took their final lead 30-27 with 1:21 left in the third quarter. The quarter ended with ISU holding on to that advantage.

The Jayhawks came back with Todd Reesing hitting Briscoe on a 46-yard scoring strike to put Kansas back in the lead, 34-30 with 14:26 left in the game. This time KU held ISU on the next drive and drove 80 yards, with Reesing hitting Meier to put the Jayhawks up 41-30 with 8:42 remaining. But ISU answered the bell, with Arnaud tossing a 5-yard TD pass to cap a 10-play 69-yard drive to close the gap to 41-36 with 4:55 left in the game.

Iowa State stopped Kansas on its first offensive series. On ISU's first drive, Arnaud hit Robinson with a 54-yard toss. Robinson scored from one-yard out four plays later as Iowa State led 6-0 after the extra point attempt was missed.

Kansas answered with a 13-play, 81-yard drive that took 6:19 off the clock that was capped when Toben Opurum scored on a 1-yard TD run. The extra-point attempt hit the post and the two teams were locked, 6-6 with 4:08 left in the first quarter.

The Cyclones missed a prime opportunity on the following drive. The Cyclones used three straight Wildcat formation direct snaps to Robinson to set up a 26-yard field goal field-goal attempt. Holder Derec Schmidgall couldn't handle the low snap and ISU saw a good drive go for naught. The first quarter ended with a 6-6 and ISU holding a total yards advantage of 143-120.

On their next drive, the Cyclones drove to the Kansas 27, where Iowa State faced a 4th-and-7 situation. Arnaud hit Jake Williams with a 16-yard completion that gave the Cyclones new life at the KU 11 yard line. Robinson scored from seven-yards out one play later to give the Cyclones a 12-6 advantage with 10:02 left in the first half.

Jesse Smith then picked off a pass by KU quarterback Todd Reesing but ISU had to punt after one first down. Kansas drove methodically down the field on a 60-yard, 6-play drive in 2:36 with Reesing hitting Kerry Meier on a 3-yard TD toss. The extra point gave KU its first lead at 13-12 with 3:37 remaining in the half.

When Iowa State couldn't move the ball, KU took over and drove 65 yards on 12 plays in 2:15 on its last drive of the half. Reesing scored on a 4-yard scramble up the middle for a 20-12 Jayhawk lead with 30 seconds left in the first half. Kansas had been in control for much of the second quarter, outgaining the Cyclones 147-93. Overall Kansas had 18 first downs in the first half to Iowa State's 10.

The Cyclones will return to Ames next week to play host to the Baylor Bears in a Homecoming contest for Iowa State. The game will kick off at 6 p.m. and will not be televised.