ISU has faced gauntlet of top-notch QBs

AMES - Oklahoma State's Brandon Weeden and Oklahoma's Landry Jones underperformed.

Texas Tech's Seth Doege wilted.

Baylor's Robert Griffin III shined and Texas A&M's Ryan Tannehill persevered.

In the season of the big-name Big 12 quarterback, Iowa State's defense has proven to be more giant killer than king maker.

“If you listen to people, we've probably faced four first round quarterbacks - for sure, first round and second round quarterbacks this season,” said Cyclones coach Paul Rhoads, whose team will try to slow down 16th-ranked Kansas State's 6-5, 226-pound play-caller Collin Klein in Saturday's 11:30 a.m. game at Manhattan, Kan. “And they're all completely different from this guy. And he might be more valuable to his team than the other four.”

The other four, five, or six entered 2011 as highly-touted leaders - either Heisman Trophy contenders, or the trigger men of scary-good offenses.

Four carved out big numbers, but three were forced into significant mistakes.

ISU's defense helped beat two of them and now hopes to corral Klein, one of the least hyped conference quarterbacks early this season, but a bruising, emerging star that reckons to leave his mark as the Wildcats shoot for a possible share of the Big 12 title.

“He's a tough runner,” said Cyclone linebacker A.J. Klein, who averages 10.8 tackles in the last six games. “I've seen them play, watched them play. He can take hits and he runs the ball hard. Tough kid.”

Tough to stop, too.

K-State's Klein ranks third among Football Bowl Subdivision quarterbacks in rushing at 92.1 yards per game.

He's tied for second nationally with 25 touchdown runs and possesses a solid, if unspectacular arm (11 touchdowns, five interceptions).

“It's a big challenge for us up front,” ISU nose guard Stephen Ruempolhamer said. “We take it personal, because we pride ourselves in stopping the run and I think that was one of our big flaws (against Oklahoma).”

The Sooners rushed for 253 yards in last weekend's 26-6 win over the Cyclones.

ISU (6-4, 3-5) had held two of its previous three foes to 99 or fewer yards on the ground.

“We've got to get back to playing Cyclone defense, stopping the run,” Ruempolhamer said.

Kansas State (9-2, 5-2) is coming off its worst rushing performance of the season - 38 yards in a defense-driven 17-13 win at Texas.

The Wildcats were idle last week, so enjoyed extra time to prepare for the Cyclones.

That layoff can be good for heath, but not so good for sharpness.

“I'm sure everybody is rested,” said Kansas State coach Bill Snyder, whose team seeks its first season with 10 wins or more since 2003.

“Wounds tend to heal given a little bit more time, but there's a trade off with that, as well, and we'll have to see how that plays out.”

INJURY UPDATE: Rhoads said there's no chance former No. 1 running back Shontrelle Johnson will play again this season, but noted he's back in Ames after undergoing neck surgery. “He has a soft collar around his neck, but doing very well,” Rhoads said.

Rhoads added that wide receiver Josh Lenz (calf) ran in practice on Sunday and current No. 1 running back James White (shoulder) is back to near full strength. He's hopeful both will play against the Wildcats.