Big 12 Conference: Take notice.

Just one week after losing a heartbreaker to Florida State, Iowa

State proved their performance a week ago was no fluke as they pasted Kansas 45-3 at Jack Trice Stadium.

Hiawatha Rutland ran for 122 yards and a touchdown as the Cyclones racked up 511 yards of total offense. ISU quarterback Seneca Wallace picked up where he left off against the Seminoles, completing 16 of 24 passes for 234 yards.

ISU head coach Dan McCarney said things were a little shaky to begin

with, but he never felt like his team didn’t have control of the game.

“It was very workman-like,” McCarney said. “I didn’t think it was

anything flashy or fancy. It was a very good, solid win.”

Defensively, the Cyclones intercepted three Jayhawk passes and had four sacks. The first pick, by Jeremy Loyd, set up Lane Danielsen’s 9-yard touchdown run, making it 10-0 with 3:57 remaining in the first quarter.

ISU linebacker Matt Word said the mentality among the defense was to stay aggressive and stay hungry.

“Nobody wanted to let anybody down, so we came out here and we played that way,” Word said.

The Cyclones made it 24-0 on Michael Wagner’s one-yard touchdown run,

but Kansas was able to respond with a drive of their own. Johnny

Beck’s 28-yard field goal at the end of the third quarter got the

Jayhawks on the board.Iowa State blew the game open in the fourth quarter, riding the back of third-string running back Brian Thompson. The redshirt freshman

had 92 yards and two touchdowns.

“We really dominated the fourth quarter,” McCarney said. “That’s two

games in a row we’ve won the fourth quarter and we’ll continue to

build on that.”

Wallace said the performances of Rutland, Thompson and Wagner was a key part of his big passing day.

“It took off a lot of pressure, knowing that the running backs would

go in there and all three of them played well,” Wallace said. “It

just opens up the passing game for us.”

Offensively, Iowa State was very productive on third-down situations

throughout the game, converting on 10 of 16 chances. ISU wide

receiver Lane Danielsen said confidence is a big part of their

success.”We figure if we’re getting 50 percent or better on third downs,

we’re winning football games,” Danielsen said. “We feel like we can

make a play whether it’s third and 20 or third and three.”

The Jayhawks, who didn’t get a first down until the second quarter,

were playing their first game under head coach Mark Mangino.

Associate head coach Terry Allen, who was fired last year at Kansas,

said he talked with Mangino after the game to wish him well.

“I’m thankful this one’s over,” Allen said. “I appreciated the

opportunity, but with this football team and it’s future, let’s put

that behind.”