By DOUG TUCKER
Associated Press

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) -- Sam Richardson, who had not even attempted
a pass all year, threw for 250 yards and four touchdowns
Saturday night, sparking Iowa State past Kansas 51-23 and
handing the Jayhawks their 20th consecutive Big 12 loss.



Richardson led the Cyclones (6-5 overall, 3-5 Big 12) to
touchdowns on four straight possessions in the second quarter
while taking a 38-17 lead. The redshirt freshman, virtually
overlooked all year in the Cyclones' jumbled quarterback
picture, had previously seen only mop-up duty in one game.



While going 23 for 27, Richardson spread his completions around
to 12 different receivers. Six different Cyclones scored
touchdowns.



For Kansas (1-10, 0-8), the final home game of the year sent a
bedraggled class of seniors out on the same sort of sour note
which has characterized their entire collegiate careers.



The fourth- and fifth-year seniors came aboard just as the Mark
Mangino-coached Jayhawks were winning two straight bowl games
for the first time in school history. The long-struggling
program seemed headed for the heights. But after starting the
2009 season 5-0, the Jayhawks lost their next seven and now,
counting this lopsided loss to Iowa State, have dropped a
stunning 36 of 42 games under three head coaches.



Kansas will need to win at West Virginia in its season finale on
Dec. 1 to avoid its worst season since the 1988 Jayhawks
finished 1-10.



It's also a bitter entry into the Big 12 for Kansas coach
Charlie Weis, who announced at midweek that he would pay the $3
charge for anyone who wanted to buy a student ticket and come to
the game. Officials said it would be several days to know how
many took him up on his offer. But it appeared only a few
hundred did.



Richardson replaced starter Steele Jantz on Iowa State's third
possession and immediately engineered a 10-play, 89-yard drive
connecting, with Josh Lenz for 30 yards and setting up Jeff
Woody's 11-yard touchdown run for a 10-7 lead. Lenz also had a
14-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter.



Tony Pierson rushed for 89 yards for Kansas, including a 55-yard
touchdown run in the second quarter, and caught a 37-yard
scoring pass from Dayne Crist in the fourth. But after his
55-yard score, Iowa State answered immediately with Richardson's
11-yard scoring pass to Albert Gary.



Durrell Givens recovered James Sims' fumble on the Jayhawks'
next possession, and five plays later Richardson connected with
a wide-open Aaron Horne on a 30-yard scoring play, making it
24-14.



The lead went to 31-14 a few minutes later when Richardson,
following Woody's 43-yard run, dived over from the 1.



A 20-yard pass to Ernst Brun, capping a six-play, 57-yard drive,
completed the second-quarter blitz and put Iowa State on top
38-14.



Edwin Arceo kicked three field goals for the Cyclones, including
a 51-yarder in the third quarter.