Big Second Half Sends Cyclones Past Kansas, 38-17

AMES, Iowa -- Ennis Haywood rushed for 190 yards and Michael Wagner broke the game open with a 66-yard touchdown run as Iowa State completed its best regular-season in 22 years with a 38-17 victory over Kansas on Saturday.

Quarterback Sage Rosenfels scored two touchdowns for Iowa State (8-3, 5-3 Big 12), which reached eight victories for just the eighth time in school history.

The Cyclones now await a bowl invitation, which would be their first since 1978. That also was the last time Iowa State won eight games.

Kansas (4-7, 2-6) finished with four straight losses and had its fourth losing season in as many years under coach Terry Allen.

Iowa State led just 17-10 at halftime despite outgaining Kansas 241-101. But on the fifth play of the second half, Wagner took a handoff, squirted free after it appeared he would be stopped for a short gain and sped down the right sideline on a 66-yard scoring play.

It was still 24-10 when Iowa State's Breon Ansley stopped Roger Ross a yard short of a first down on a fourth-down pass completion at the Iowa State 14. The Cyclones then marched 86 yards in nine plays to put it away.

Haywood, who carried 29 times in the game, had runs of 24 and 38 yards before Joe Woodley went the final 1 yard for the touchdown, making it 31-10 with 8:48 left. Wagner had 102 yards in eight carries as the Cyclones rushed for 335 yards.

Kansas got a late on touchdown on Dylen Smith's 6-yard pass to Harrison Hill. Iowa State answered with Haywood's 6-yard touchdown run with 2:47 left.

A penalty and an interception helped Kansas get back into the game after Iowa State took a 14-0 lead.

Kansas got out of a second-and-22 jam at midfield when Ansley was called for pass interference. Smith ran 15 yards to the 20 and when the Jayhawks stalled, Joe Garcia kicked a 37-yard field goal.

Three plays later, Rosenfels overthrew a receiver and Carl Nesmith picked it off, returning it 44 yards to the 1. David Winbush scored on the next play, drawing Kansas to 14-10 with 1:17 left in the half.

But Iowa State moved quickly and Rosenfels' 19-yard pass to J.J. Moses got the Cyclones close enough for Carl Gomez to kick a 43-yard field goal as time expired.

Moses' 28-yard punt return to the Kansas 29 set up a touchdown on Iowa State's first possession. Rosenfels scored from the 2 seven plays later, faking a handoff to Woodley and slipping through a hole on the left side.

Iowa State drove 75 yards in nine plays for a second-quarter touchdown. Rosenfels completed three passes for 47 yards and went the final 14 on a draw.

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Players Mentioned

Breon Ansley

Carl Gomez

Ennis Haywood

J.J. Moses

Sage Rosenfels

Michael Wagner

Joe Woodley

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics