IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Nate Stanley threw for 197 yards and a pair of touchdowns and Iowa overwhelmed North Texas 31-14 on Saturday to finish the non-conference season unbeaten. Freshman Ivory Kelly-Martin added 74 yards rushing and two TDs for the Hawkeyes (3-0), who played most of the second half without running backs Akrum Wadley and James Butler.

Iowa pulled ahead 17-14 on a 23-yard TD pass from Stanley to Noah Fant — on fourth down and 5 — late in the third quarter. Kelly-Martin added a 2-yard touchdown, the first of his career, with 8:16 left to cap a drive that covered 87 yards and burned nearly nine minutes. Kelly-Martin also scored a 6-yard TD run with 1:47 to go.

But the Hawkeyes will be left to hope that Wadley (right leg) and Butler (right elbow) won’t miss extended time. Wadley and Butler, a Nevada transfer, entered 2017 as the only duo in the country to each rush for over 1,000 yards last season.

Mason Fine threw for 167 yards for North Texas (1-2), which dropped its second straight.

UP NEXT

Iowa hosts Penn State on Sept. 23.

CHICAGO (AP) — Kyle Hendricks pitched effectively into the eighth inning, Addison Russell homered and the Chicago Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-1 on Saturday to increase their NL Central lead. Chicago has won five straight and leads Milwaukee by 3 1/2 games and St. Louis by five in the division.

Albert Almora Jr. had three hits and two RBIs for the Cubs. Russell was activated before the game after being sidelined since early August with plantar fasciitis of the right foot. He pinch hit in the eighth and hit a solo shot against Tyler Lyons to the back of the left-field bleachers.

Hendricks (7-5) allowed one run and six hits in a season-high 7 2/3 innings. He struck out five and walked one.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs have again released veteran C.J. Spiller, clearing room on the roster to promote fellow running back Akeem Hunt before Sunday’s home opener against Philadelphia.

Spiller signed with the Chiefs in the offseason in an attempt to resurrect his career, which had been derailed by injuries. He looked good in training camp and the preseason but was released as part of final roster cutdowns on Sept. 2.

That move was merely a bookkeeping maneuver and Spiller was signed the next day. But he was released again on Sept. 7, signed once more and released a third time on Saturday.

Hunt, who is not related to starting running back Kareem Hunt, spent the past two seasons with the Texans. He’s third on the depth chart behind Charcandrick West and can help on special teams.

AKRON, Ohio (AP) — With his long hair, full beard and lanky build, Jacob Park looks more like a rock star than a quarterback. He was both on Saturday afternoon. Park passed for 317 yards and two touchdowns, including a 43-yarder to Marchie Murdock, as Iowa State pulled away in the second half for a 41-14 victory over Akron.

The 6-foot-4, 210-pound junior completed 24 of 33 throws without an interception and also scored on a 14-yard run for the Cyclones (2-1), who equaled a school record by topping 40 points for the third straight game to start the season.

Sophomore David Montgomery rushed for 127 yards and a score as the Cyclones set a school mark by gaining 400 yards for the sixth game in a row. Park has thrown for more than 200 in all six — and over 300 in three of the last four — but insists that his team can be better.

Cyclones S Kamari Cotton-Moya (elbow) traveled to Akron, but was not in uniform. The senior co-captain was hurt on Sept. 9 against Iowa and remains listed as questionable.

UP NEXT

IOWA STATE: The Cyclones open Big 12 play by hosting Texas on Sept. 28. The Longhorns were a 27-6 winner in their last meeting on Oct. 15, 2016.