Saturday’s 34-31 win over Iowa State left Kansas Jayhawks’ Head Football Coach Glen Mason with a good feeling inside, despite the 10 lead changes and a barrage of miscues on both sides of the ball.

“You can be critical all you want to, but with the crowd in this game and all those lead changes, you don’t win without having a team and giving a team effort,” Mason said. “These Iowa State-Kansas games have always been wacky. You never know what is going to happen.”

Mason also voiced his approval of ISU Head Football Coach Dan McCarney. “I think Dan McCarney is doing a wonderful job here, a tremendous job. Those guys will be good. I remember when Kansas was in a similar situation. We were young just like Iowa State. They [Cyclones] will be good at defense, but it will come in pieces. Those guys are young and they’ll get there,” Mason said.

Mason, while pleased with his team’s defensive effort, was also quick to point out that Davis and his abilities deserve credit.

“Remember, our offense gave up 14 points. If you had told me coming into this game that our defense would have held ISU to 172 yards rushing, we would have taken that,” Mason said. “But anyone that doesn’t think that Troy Davis is the real deal, well, he is. He is a great, great player. He gets sneaky yards on you. You think you have him stopped and, geez, he gets 171 yards on you.”

While Troy Davis had a big game, Kansas tailback June Henley, whose three touchdowns vaulted him into first place on Kansas’ all-time single season scoring charts. Henley finished with 226 yards on 40 carries.

Henley, who missed the Nebraska game last week due to a drunken driving charge, declined to speak to the media during the post-game press conference.

Two other bright spots for KU included senior wideout Isaac Byrd, who collected 11 receptions for 158 yards and one touchdown, and Nebraska transfer and senior quarterback Ben Rutz.

Despite Rutz’s interception that resulted in a Dawan Anderson touchdown and a 31-27 Cyclone lead, Rutz collected himself and made the biggest play of the game.

Rutz, on fourth and one from the eight-yard line, connected with Byrd on a quick slant to put the Jayhawks up for good, 34-31.

“I am so happy for him (Rutz). Good things happen to guys who hang in there, and he definitely hung in there. He got into some situations where I’m sure ISU thought that they had him, but he exhibited that he is a play maker,” Mason said.

Byrd also was pleased with Rutz’ composure. “He never really gets upset. After the interception, he just came up to me and said, ‘Next series.’ He didn’t blame it on me, or himself. He just wanted to get them next time,” Byrd said.

On a down note for ISU, the game’s wildest play occurred when the Cyclones attempted a two-point conversion after Anderson’s interception return in attempts to bring the score to 31-27.

Davis fumbled that ball that was picked up by Kansas’ Andre Carter. Carter raced all the way down to the two-yard line only to be caught by ISU quarterback Todd Doxzon.

Doxzon was injured on the play and was forced to the sidelines for the remainder of the game.

In came Cyclone quarterback Todd Bandhauer, who was sacked, completed a pass to Dennis DiBiase and was intercepted to end ISU’s offensive attack.

Bandhauer was on his way to a redshirt season, which would have left him with three years of eligibility before the injury.

“The crazy thing is that I didn’t know it at the time, but the play was whistled dead. We didn’t even know it, but they whistled the play dead,” Mason said.