MANHATTAN, Kan. — Bill Snyder wouldn’t bite when he was asked to compare this season’s Kansas State team to those of years past, Wildcats that won Big 12 championships and went to prestigious bowl games.

“I reserve the right to make those judgments until the end of the season,” the longtime coach said, “and then I’ll find a way to avoid the question.”

It’s going to be an inevitable one.

John Hubert ran for 120 yards and the go-ahead touchdown Saturday, helping the Wildcats (No. 11 BCS, No. 16 AP) beat Iowa State 30-23 and keeping alive their chances for a share of the conference title.

Picked to finish eighth in the Big 12, Kansas State (10-2, 7-2) instead put together one of the best seasons in school history. Led by the 72-year-old Snyder, the plucky Wildcats managed to beat everyone they faced except for Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, the two teams who were to decide Saturday night whether they would share in a conference championship.

If the Sooners beat their rivals in Bedlam, there would be a three-way tie.

“It’s been a journey,” said Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein, who ran for a touchdown and threw for another against the Cyclones. “We’ve had a lot of ups and downs, but over the course we’ve been able to make improvements so we’re a better team.”

Jeff Woody ran for 85 yards and two touchdowns for the Cyclones (6-6, 3-6), who became bowl eligible for the second time under Paul Rhoads when they knocked off the Cowboys a couple weeks ago.

They nearly managed another upset against the Wildcats.

Hubert scored the go-ahead touchdown on a tackle-breaking 26-yard run with 3:29 left, which gave Iowa State plenty of time to answer. Freshman quarterback Jared Barnett converted a pair of third downs to move into Kansas State territory, and then scrambled for eight yards on third-and-10.

Facing fourth-and-2 at the 31, Woody took the handoff and was stuffed at the line of scrimmage, the ball popping out. Kansas State recovered it to seal the victory.

“This is the No. 11 team in the BCS,” Rhoads said, “and with 1:07 to go, we’re driving down to tie the game and send it into overtime.”

Both teams now await their bowl destinations.

The Wildcats could be headed anywhere from one of the BCS games as an at-large selection to the Alamo or Cotton bowls, though Snyder said he won’t be campaigning before announcements are made Sunday night. The Cyclones, meanwhile, will be headed to a game for the second time in three years.

“K-State was only favored in four games and they won 10,” Woody said. “We were favored in two and we won six, so we’re two tremendously similar teams, and that showed.”

After lightning delayed the kickoff 90 minutes, the Cyclones jumped out to a 7-0 lead. Barnett threw a pass that wobbled so much it looked as if the ball was deflating, but Darius Darks managed to get the inside position on cornerback Nigel Malone and hauled in the 30-yard catch.

The Wildcats needed 15 seconds to answer.

Klein dropped back and floated a pass on a deep post route to Tramaine Thompson, one of the fastest players on the team. He caught it with his fingertips just past the outstretched hands of defensive back Ter’Ran Benton and raced the rest of the way untouched for the 68-yard touchdown, the longest play from scrimmage for Kansas State this season.

“We had a play called and Collin saw coverage he liked,” Thompson said. “So we switched it around. I was hoping he saw it. When he checked to it, I was so happy.”

Iowa State regained the lead moments later when Woody plunged in from a yard out, but Zach Guyer’s extra point was blocked by Raphael Guidry, his fourth blocked kick of the season.

Anthony Cantele kicked a 37-yard field goal for the Wildcats to get within 13-10.

Kansas State took over at its own 38 just before halftime, and Klein mixed in a couple of option keepers along with a pair of 14-yard completions to Hubert. The sophomore running back took the second of them down to the goal line, and Klein’s TD sneak gave Kansas State a 17-13 lead at the break.

Guidry’s second big play, this time an interception off a tipped ball, gave Kansas State prime field position early in the third quarter, and Cantele’s 47-yard field goal made it 20-13.

Iowa State responded by going 64 yards in 12 plays, converting three third downs, and Woody’s rumbling 13-yard scamper allowed the Cyclones to draw even with 4:25 left in the quarter.

Kansas State squandered a chance to take a touchdown lead, failing to score in three tries from the 3 before Cantele knocked through his third field goal of the game. The Cyclones matched it when they converted a pair of fourth downs and Guyer made a 43-yarder with 6:12 left.

The Cyclones finally ran out of answers, though, and they still haven’t beaten the Wildcats in Manhattan since 2004 — the last time they had a winning season.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — Anthony James scored 28 points to lead Northern Iowa to an 83-77 victory against Colorado State on Saturday in a Mountain West-Missouri Valley Challenge game.

James had eight rebounds as the Panthers (7-1) never trailed en route to winning their sixth straight. Seth Tuttle added 16 points, Deon Mitchell 12 and Chip Rank 10.

Dorian Green had 21 points and nine rebounds for the Rams (5-3). Wes Eikmeier scored 19 points and Dwight Smith 17.

Northern Iowa ended the first half on a 9-0 run over the last 3:16, with James scoring seven points on two jumpers and a 3-pointer. That gave the Panthers a 41-30 lead at the break, and Colorado State got no closer than 11 in the second half.

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Melsahn Basabe had 14 points and 10 rebounds to help Iowa beat Brown 75-54 on Saturday.

Roy Devyn Marble added 11 points off the bench for Iowa (5-3), which had lost three of its last four games.

Andrew McCarthy scored 17 points for Brown (4-5). The Bears missed 18 3-point shots and were outrebounded 56-37.

Basabe scored more points Saturday than he had in Iowa’s previous four games combined. The Hawkeyes made an effort to get the sophomore involved early, and he took eights in the first half. Basabe finished 5 of 12 from the field.

Iowa jumped out to a 15-4 lead in the first seven minutes and led 38-24 at halftime.

Matt Gatens, Zach McCabe, Andrew Brommer and Aaron White each added nine points for the Hawkeyes.

Iowa also won the only previous meeting between the schools, 109-61 in December 1988.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Fred Hoiberg has some coaching work to do after his Iowa State team let two bad stretches essentially decide the game. The Cyclones let Michigan go on two runs of about five minutes each, and it was enough to cost Iowa State a 76-66 loss Saturday at the 14th-ranked Wolverines. Jordan Morgan scored 16 points and Tim Hardaway Jr. added 19 points in the first game between the schools since Johnny Orr left Iowa State in 1994. Orr remains the winningest coach in Michigan history, with 209 wins between 1969-80, and at Iowa State, with 218 victories starting in 1981. The teams entered the game with identical 5-2 records. Michigan, though, lost to Duke and Virginia, while Iowa State has been beaten by Northern Iowa and Drake. Royce White had 20 points and 12 rebounds for the Cyclones, while former Michigan State Spartan Chris Allen added 11 – all in the second half.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa wide receiver Marcus Grant and offensive lineman Dan Heiar are leaving the football program. Coach Kirk Ferentz announced the departures Friday. Ferentz says Grant has decided to transfer to a school closer to his hometown of North Carver, Mass. The freshman appeared in a handful of games this season for the Hawkeyes.  Ferentz says Heiar, also in his first year at Iowa, is leaving school “to pursue other interests.”

Heiar joined the Hawkeyes in the spring after transferring from Iowa Western Community College. He was charged with operating while intoxicated in an April crash. Court records show he pleaded guilty and was given a suspended jail sentence.