LAWRENCE — Kansas linebacker Ben Heeney was one of the last ones into the Anderson Football Complex after the celebration, and KU athletic director Sheahon Zenger was waiting for him with a football.

"Go give it to him," Zenger said.

A few moments later, after KU football players swayed and did their own Rock Chalk Chant in the locker room following the Jayhawks' 34-14 victory over Iowa State, Heeney made sure to do as he was told.

"Game ball," he said in the middle of the pile, screaming out with the football extended high in his right hand, "coach Bowen."

The senior extended the ball as his teammates roared, later wrapping his right arm around the Jayhawks’ interim coach.

"He kind of got real emotional after that," Heeney said. "He definitely deserves the job in my opinion."

All along, Clint Bowen has talked about how these games aren’t about him. Sure, he was handed the keys to the program for eight games following the firing of Charlie Weis, but he always claimed he was most concerned with working hard for his players, not himself.

Following a dominant effort over Iowa State on a brisk afternoon at Memorial Stadium, though, this had the feeling of more than a team exalting after picking up its third Big 12 victory in 48 tries.

It also seemed like the beginning of a town embracing the hometown boy as a serious candidate for the Jayhawks’ permanent gig.

With 2:10 left, KU’s students on the east side — they’d left many of the previous games at halftime — started chanting, "Bowen! Bowen!"

A couple minutes later, Heeney and tight end Jimmay Mundine started to sneak behind Bowen with a Gatorade bucket, at one point backing off after a cameraman positioned himself in front of the coach to give their surprise away.

Within a half-minute, the two made their second move and showered their coach with the blue liquid.

"Honestly, about the greatest feeling in my life, as this coaching thing goes," Bowen said.

The significance of the victory wasn’t lost on KU fans.

Students streamed onto the field after the final horn, taking selfies with players and crowding Bowen as he completed a postgame TV interview.

The mob eventually made its way to the south end zone, where college kids leapt on the goalposts before eventually tugging them down.

The senior Mundine made sure to watch the scene from a few yards away.

"Coaches were saying, ‘Let’s go in,’ and I was like, ‘No, I’m about to see this,’" Mundine said. "I don’t get many more opportunities (like) this."

The Jayhawks, for the first time in a while, were balanced offensively. Michael Cummings completed 24 of 40 passes for 278 yards with a touchdown, while KU rushed for 228 yards after mustering just 16 yards on the ground the previous week against Baylor.

KU was especially dominant in the first half in building a 24-7 lead. The Jayhawks posted 20 first downs before halftime, already tying their season high for the year, which was set in the season opener against Southeast Missouri. They later finished with 29.

The Jayhawks also put up 514 total yards — the most for the team since 2011.

"The players went out," Bowen said, "and made play after play."

The victory also might have temporarily exorcised some demons following KU's football struggles the last few seasons.

On the other sideline was Mark Mangino, serving as offensive coordinator for Iowa State after taking KU to its greatest heights as a football program just six years earlier.

Look in the right place, like off 19th Street near Haskell, and you can still find the campaign signs around town that read: "Bring back our coach: Mark Mangino."

This victory might have put some of that talk to rest.

Mangino’s offense wasn’t horrible, but it couldn’t keep up with KU. The Cyclones (2-7, 0-6 Big 12) finished with 275 yards passing but had just 98 yards on 25 carries.

Just outside the congregation of students after the game, Mangino made sure to find Bowen, who served as his assistant for each of his eight seasons at KU.

Mangino congratulated the Lawrence native on the win, but Bowen wanted to say something, too.

"There’s so many things I’ve done in the last four weeks that I learned from coach Mangino," Bowen said. "The guy is a tireless worker, put his heart and soul in this program, and I think anyone that’s a Kansas fan should appreciate that."

For a night, those fans were definitely reminded of that past. But as they celebrated on the field, they had to wonder if they might also be getting a glimpse of the future as well.

"We’re playing for him," KU center Joe Gibson said of Bowen. "He’s our motivation."

Iowa State (2-7, 0-6)0770—14

Kansas (3-6, 1-5)17773—34

FIRST QUARTER

KU — Avery 14 run (Wyman kick), 9:21. Drive: 12 plays, 81 yards, 5:39 time of possession.

KU — Mundine 20 pass from Cummings (Wyman kick), 4:24. Drive: 8-58, 3:24.

KU — Wyman 35 field goal, 0:41. Drive: 7-43, 2:58.

SECOND QUARTER

KU — Pierson 6 run (Wyman kick), 5:25. Drive: 13-91, 5:11.

ISU — Bibbs 3 pass from Rohach (Netten kick), 1:13. Drive: 5-62, 1:38.

THIRD QUARTER

ISU — Montgomery 35 pass from Rohach (Netten kick), 13:53. Drive: 4-75, 1:07.

KU — Cummings 1 run (Wyman kick), 2:49. Drive: 9-80, 3:46.

FOURTH QUARTER

KU — Wyman 37 field goal, 13:13. Drive: 9-27, 3:37.

GAME IN FIGURES

ISUKU

First downs2229

Rushes-yards25-9848-228

Passing275286

Comp-Att-Int25-50-126-43-0

Return yards(-2)0

Punts-Avg.5-39.64-44.0

Fumbles-lost3-11-0

Penalties-yards4-264-32

Time of possession22:2737:33

Attendance — 33,288.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING —Iowa State: Wimberly 15-97, Brown 2-12, Nealy 1-1, Rohach 7-(minus 12). Kansas: Avery 17-103, Pierson 17-101, Crawley 5-14, Cummings 7-12, Cozart 1-5, Team 1-(minus 7).

PASSING — Iowa State: Rohach 25-50-1-275. Kansas: Cummings 24-40-0-278, Cozart 2-3-0-8.

RECEIVING — Iowa State: Montgomery 8-130, Bibbs 6-37, Al. Lazard 5-70, J. West 4-17, Wimberly 2-21. Kansas: Mundine 6-75, King 5-101, Harwell 5-63, McCay 4-24, Pierson 2-(minus 7), Avery 1-12, B.Johnson 1-10, Coleman 1-9, Parmalee 1-(minus 1).

PUNTING — Iowa State: Downing 5-39.6. Kansas: Pardula 4-44.0.

MISSED FIELD GOALS — Iowa State: Netten (37).

LEADING TACKLERS — Iowa State: Seeley, 9 unassisted, 4 assists, 13; Cotton-Moya 10-2-12; Tribune 6-1-7; Knott 3-4-7. Kansas: Heeney 6-1-7; Shepherd 4-1-5; Simmons 4-1-5; Arnick 4-1-5.

SACKS — Iowa State: Cousin 1. KU: Simmons 2, Love 1, Reynolds 1.

INTERCEPTIONS — Kansas: Shepherd 1.