Field Level Media
Nov 3, 2018
Freshman quarterback Brock Purdy passed for 263 yards and three touchdowns Saturday, including two scoring bombs to junior wide receiver Hakeem Butler, as Iowa State thumped Kansas 27-3 at Lawrence, Kan.
Butler entered the game as the Big 12 leader in average yards per catch (22.4) and immediately busted two big plays, scoring on grabs of 83 and 51 yards in the first eight minutes. He finished with 164 yards on five receptions.
The win was the fourth straight for the Cyclones (5-3, 4-2 Big 12), who were slotted at No. 24 in the initial College Football Playoff standings. Purdy, who went 16 of 23 with no interceptions, has tossed three touchdowns in each game during the win streak while cementing his starting role.
Junior running back David Montgomery, the Big 12's leading rusher, gained 64 yards on 14 carries, ending his string of four straight 100-yard games.
Kansas (3-6, 1-5) could not gain any rhythm offensively against an Iowa State defense ranked 10th nationally at stopping the run. The Jayhawks totaled 332 yards, much of that in the fourth quarter, and went three-and-out five times.
Kansas running back Pooka Williams, the Big 12 leader in yards from scrimmage, was limited to 58 yards on 17 carries. He caught six passes for 42 yards. The Jayhawks were led in rushing by junior Khalil Herbert with 91 yards.
Kansas quarterback Peyton Bender passed for 185 yards, completing 19 of 41 passes. Iowa State used two goal-line stands in the fourth quarter to prevent Kansas from scoring a touchdown.
After Butler scored his two first-quarter touchdowns, the Cyclones tackled on field goals of 47 and 23 yards by sophomore Connor Assalley for a 20-3 halftime lead.
Kansas, which was bidding for back-to-back Big 12 wins for the first time since 2008, turned the ball over on downs and lost a fumble on its first two trips into Iowa State territory. Kicker Gabriel Rui then connected for a 47-yard field goal with 3 seconds left in the first half to cap a 46-yard drive.
--Field Level Media