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KU Jayhawks vs. Iowa State Cyclones: Five things to know entering Saturday’s game

Kansas’ football players and coaches certainly appreciate the 47,233 fans who followed their week-long request to “Pack the Booth” for Saturday’s 35-27 victory over Duke at Booth Memorial Stadium.

“It was awesome,” KU junior wide receiver Luke Grimm said of KU’s first sellout crowd since the KU-Kansas State game on Nov. 2, 2019.

Prior to that KU-K-State game, KU’s last home sellout had been Nov. 14, 2009 against Nebraska.

“We’ve played in some pretty packed (stadiums) but it’s been before the other team’s crowds,” added Grimm, one of four Jayhawks to catch a touchdown pass from Jalon Daniels on Saturday. “For us to hear the crowd explode, like on (Daniel) Hishaw’s run, that’s the most special thing. That’s college football to me. To have everybody there makes it more special.”

Hishaw caught a swing pass from Daniels and, after breaking four tackles, turned it into a 73-yard TD reception that gave the Jayhawks a 14-7 lead to the delight of the packed stadium.

The Jayhawks now request the fans make sellouts the norm.

KU at 2:30 p.m. Saturday will play its second game of a three-game homestand — this one against a 3-1 Iowa State team coming off Saturday’s 31-24 home loss to Baylor. KU has lost seven in a row to ISU. The Jayhawks last defeated the Cyclones, 34-14, in 2014. ISU crushed the Jayhawks a year ago in Ames, 59-7.

“This room (interview room) is a lot more full than it used to be. That’s great for our players and our university,” second-year KU coach Lance Leipold said in his postgame media session Saturday. “It’s great to hear a different volume on third downs and some of those things and (fans) embracing the efforts. Hopefully today’s performance gave enough people a reason to get back here next week because we’ll need them again.”

Leipold said that during last year’s 2-10 season he and his assistants sometimes wondered how soon it’d be before the fans filled Booth Memorial Stadium for a game again.

“There were probably times a year ago when it was really tough that we’d say, ‘We’ll get this thing filled some day,’’’ Leipold said. “I’m really proud of the way our guys keep progressing and finding ways.”

Of big crowds, he added, “When the ball is kicked off or even during warmups, you see a huge difference. It’s good for Lawrence, good for our university, good for our community.”

It’s believed KU last had back-to-back sellouts during the 2009 season when the Jayhawks had crowds of at least 50,000 in five of its six home games. KU’s capacity used to be 50,071, changing to 47,233 several years ago when the Field Goal Club was added in the north bowl, costing the stadium some seats.

THE DETAILS

Kickoff: 2:30 p.m.. Saturday

Where: Booth Memorial Stadium, Lawrence

TV: ESPN2

Radio: WHB (810) in Kansas City; KFH (1240 AM, 97.5 FM) in Wichita

Early betting line: Iowa State is a 3.5 point favorite.

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW

1. Iowa State was picked to finish sixth in the 10-team Big 12 Conference in the preseason media poll. The Cyclones, who have played in five consecutive bowl games, entered this season with moderate expectations after last year’s 7-6 mark (5-4 in Big 12 games). Baylor on Saturday prevented Iowa State from a 4-0 start, which would have been the program’s best start since 2000.

ISU defeated Southeast Missouri, 42-10, in the season opener for both teams in Ames, then won at Iowa, 10-7. ISU returned home to beat Ohio 43-10, then lost to Baylor.

2. Xavier Hutchinson is an outstanding receiver. The 6-foot-3 senior from Jacksonville, Florida caught eight passes for 84 yards in ISU’s loss to Baylor.

He’s had 29 consecutive games with a reception, the fourth-longest streak in school history. Hutchinson is third in school history with 183 receptions and has at least eight receptions in all four games this season. He has five TDs through four games. He’s a favorite target of quarterback Hunter Dekkers, a 6-3 sophomore from Hawarden, Iowa who completed 23 of 36 passes for 284 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions versus the Bears.

3. ISU’s Matt Campbell, 42, is known as one of the top young coaches in the country. Seventh-year ISU coach Campbell came to Ames in 2016 after serving as Toledo’s head coach for four seasons. He’s also been an assistant at Mount Union, Bowling Green and Toledo. Campbell, 45-35 at ISU, has been mentioned as a possible candidate for other jobs. In fact, he and KU’s Leipold have been mentioned as possible candidates for the Nebraska opening.

4. Iowa State has a strong pass rusher in Will McDonald. McDonald, a 6-3, 235-pound senior defensive end from Milwaukee, has 30.5 career sacks ... but just 1 1/2 so far this season. Coincidentally, KU has allowed just one sack all year. McDonald is the first player in school history and fourth in Big 12 history to hit the 30-sack mark.

5. KU’s running game continues to excel. The Jayhawks rushed for 204 yards and one touchdown vs. Duke, marking their fourth-straight game with 200-plus rushing yards. Kansas now has 14 rushing touchdowns through four games. The KU offensive line has opened space for backs such as Devin Neal (258 yards, 37 carries) and Hishaw (234 yards, 36 carries). QB Daniels has rushed for 320 yards on 38 carries. Daniels, Hishaw and Neal each have four rushing TDs.