Iowa State aims to stay out of Big 12 cellar

AMES — The droughts on either side are apparent.

One of them ends Saturday.

When Iowa State faces Kansas on its final road trip of the season (11 a.m., KFXA), the chance to end some bad recent history will exist for both sides.

The Cyclones (1-8, 0-6) will try to end a three-year Big 12 road losing streak. The Jayhawks (1-8, 0-6) will try for their first conference win in two years. Something has to give, and it's not a shoo-in for either one.

'Well, jeez, we've got the same record,' said Iowa State Coach Matt Campbell. 'I think the reality for us is you look at this Kansas team. We had watched a little bit of them from a year ago and they're a completely different football team. They're so well improved.'

In the last few seasons, the game also has decided who finishes at the bottom of the Big 12. Kansas has been last in five of the last six years. Iowa State was last in the other year after losing, 34-14, at Kansas in 2014.

The Jayhawks' lone win was a 55-6 thrashing of FCS Rhode Island, the first win in the two-year tenure of David Beaty. Since, Kansas has lost by a margin of 30.5 points in its six Big 12 games. In Iowa State's six Big 12 losses, it has lost by an average of 11.2 points.

'Their record doesn't really speak for how good their defense is,' said quarterback Jacob Park. 'I was pretty shocked when we turned on the film because they've got some pretty good pass rushers and coverage guys.

'I'm pretty impressed with them. Definitely not going to disrespect these guys. We're going to prepare like we'd prepare if it was Oklahoma.'

Kansas' defense is the strength of its team and hasn't had trouble creating turnovers. The Jayhawks have forced 14 turnovers, fourth most in the Big 12, and had five alone in a one-point home loss to TCU.

The Jayhawks, however, have deployed three different quarterbacks this season, who have thrown 18 interceptions, leading to 29 total turnovers and a minus-15 turnover margin.

The opportunity is there for Iowa State to force some mistakes, get its first road win in three years — the last one was Nov. 30, 2013 (52-44 3OT at West Virginia) — and collect Campbell's first conference win as the ISU coach. Kansas' lack of success in the last six years hasn't given ISU players a reason to lose any focus.

'We try to go in just one week at a time, one game at a time playing that opponent, focus on them and just go try to go out and execute the offense,' said quarterback Joel Lanning. 'The game is no different than playing anyone else. It's that Saturday at 11, just like it would be against other teams and you just have to go out and play the game.'

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