Iowa State gets a little extra satisfaction in 44-41 upset of Iowa

It was a rough week around Ames, Iowa, with the Big 12 Conference backed into a corner as speculation swirled that the league’s best football programs might be headed for new homes.

All the while, the local team, Iowa State, wasn’t being wooed or coveted by anyone. It was simply mentioned among the leftovers after the megaconferences swooped in and picked off the prime targets.

But the town’s mood improved appreciably Saturday after the Cyclones stunned Iowa, 44-41, in a triple-overtime thriller that was the highest-scoring of the 59 games played between the heated intrastate rivals.

“We needed it. I needed it. The fans needed it,” said Jamie Pollard, Iowa State’s athletic director. “It hasn’t been a fun couple of weeks.”

The game-winning touchdown was scored by James White on a four-yard run, but the hero of the day was Steele Jantz, a junior transfer from City College of San Francisco who completed 25 of 37 passes for 279 yards and four touchdowns in only his second major-college football game.

“When the game was on the line he was spectacular today,” Iowa State Coach Paul Rhoads said.

Rhoads had a pretty good game himself, this being the latest in series of occasional upsets his Iowa State teams have pulled since he took over before the 2009 season. Nebraska fell that year; Texas in 2010.

The coach he succeeded in Ames: Gene Chizik, who won a national championship last season, his second at Auburn.

Scary moments

Minnesota Coach Jerry Kill was listed in stable condition at a Minneapolis hospital Saturday night after suffering a seizure with 20 seconds left in the Golden Gophers’ 28-21 loss to New Mexico State.

With his team at the New Mexico State 25, Kill, 50, collapsed on the sideline and began rolling around on the turf, his arms and legs occasionally flapping as medical personnel tried to help.

The game was delayed about 15 minutes before Kill was removed on a stretcher, the crowd clapping and chanting his first name as he was taken to an ambulance with his wife and daughter by his side.

Team doctor Pat Smith said Kill “was at no time under any risk in any way,” adding, “His vital signs were absolutely normal, and he responded typical of someone that was recovering from a seizure.”

Kill suffered seizures in 2001 and 2005 while coaching at Southern Illinois. He had another while taping a television show in 2006. But he has never missed the next game.

Smith said the 88-degree temperature coupled with dehydration might have played a role in Saturday’s seizure.

Stress may have played a hand, too. Minnesota was down to its last play — which turned out to be an incomplete pass — on a final frantic drive. And on its previous possession, the Golden Gophers were stopped on fourth and goal at the New Mexico State one.

Old college try

Alan Moore, a 61-year-old Vietnam veteran and grandfather of five, kicked an extra point for Faulkner (Ala.) in an NAIA game, becoming the oldest player to participate in a college football game.

Moore’s kick came early in the second half of a 41-19 win over Ave Maria. He wore a square-toe on his kicking shoe, on which he had written “believe.”

Back-handed compliment

Unheralded Maine recorded seven sacks and intercepted two of Pittsburgh quarterback Tino Sunseri’s passes, yet lost, 35-29, then had to endure what presumably was an unintended postgame slap by Pittsburgh Coach Todd Graham.

“Their guys played hard, their guys are well-coached and it’s one of those games we played to the level of competition,” Graham said.

Thanks, thanks, and … ouch.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

mike.hiserman@latimes.com