Arnaud’s passing numbers impressive in ISU’s loss at Kansas

LAWRENCE, Kan. - The silver lining after another narrow Iowa State defeat was the emergence of the passing game and quarterback Austen Arnaud.

Arnaud slogged through ISU's first five games, too often throwing behind receivers or at their feet. Saturday against No. 16 Kansas, he was on his game and nearly gave the Cyclones (3-3, 0-2 Big 12) their first road win over a ranked team since 1990.

“That's the best game I've played in a while,” said Arnaud, who was 25 of 40 passing for 293 yards and two touchdowns.

ISU, which came into the game as the conference's most turnover-prone team, had no interceptions or fumbles lost and zero offensive penalties.

Arnaud was decisive, accurate and tough. The junior also ran 14 times for 67 yards, adding to his league-best rushing total among quarterbacks.

“Austen was a leader today,” receiver Marquis Hamilton said afterward. “He did all the right things. He didn't turn the ball over, he checked us out of bad plays.”

But ISU didn't win.

Arnaud nearly completed a fourth-down pass to Darius Darks in the end zone that would have given ISU the lead and a likely victory. But the off-balance throw sailed just past Darks' outstretched hands and sealed a 41-36 loss, the Cyclones' 11th straight to conference opponents.

“For a second I thought I was going to catch up to it,” said Darks, who finished with a season-high five catches.

Arnaud wishes he could have that one – and a couple of other plays – to do over again.

“It felt good playing well, but the loss… I'd rather play like crap and we win opposed to this,” he said. “We are going to turn this thing around.”

Coming into Saturday, Arnaud had averaged 157.4 yards a game with a completion percentage of 53 percent.

Last year, in his first season as ISU's starter, Arnaud passed for 232.7 yards a game with a 61.6 completion percentage. On Saturday, he looked as close to that guy as he has all season.

Arnaud hit seven different receivers. He'll try to match that effort Saturday in a 6 p.m. game against Baylor at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames.

“Sooner or later when you keep practicing as well as he has, it shows up on game day,” Coach Paul Rhoads said. “That wind out there was stiff. He threw the ball as well into the wind as he did with the wind. I'm proud of him.”

-By Eric Petersen