Costly Mistakes Pile Up as Kansas Falls to K-State 47-27
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The Kansas Jayhawks were in a giving mood two days after Thanksgiving, gifting Kansas State with a number of presents in the rain Saturday night on the way to a 47-27 defeat.
The defense started out strong after Kansas deferred the ball to the second half, forcing a three and out. But in what was the first special teams blunder of the night, a muffed punt gave the Wildcats the ball at the KU five yard line, which they easily converted into a first touchdown.
The Jayhawks answered immediately, with Jalon Daniels starting hot – 5/5 for 35 yards – and the drive being capped with Torry Locklin breaking two tackles on the way to the end zone. But KU continued to shoot itself in the foot. A busted play resulted in an easy 42-yard Will Howard touchdown pass. Then, after another bad special teams play, a holding call against the Jayhawks in the end zone resulted in a safety. K-State would score again on the next drive after getting the ball back to make it 23-7 with 1:37 left in the first quarter.
Kansas’ offense once again responded, this time with an 11-play, 75-yard drive. Daniels had a huge 25-yard scramble and Devin Neal punched in his first touchdown, this time from 11 yards out. It looked like the defense would come up with a stop, but the Wildcats ran a screen pass on third and 12 to Deuce Vaughn that went 80 yards and set up another Howard TD pass. But again, Daniels and Neal would not give up, driving Kansas down 75 yards in seven plays, capped with a three-yard Neal touchdown run to cut the lead to 30-21.
It was the defense’s time, and Craig Young delivered, hitting Howard on third down and causing a fumble, which KSU landed on but had to punt. The punt was a great one, pinning KU inside its own five yard line. Daniels hit Lawrence Arnold on third down but he was a yard shy of the first-down marker and Kansas had to punt it right back with 1:52 left in the half.
KSU took over at their 47 yard line and started moving into KU territory but Lonnie Phelps again got to Howard and forced a fumble, this time recovered by Caleb Sampson with 1:25 left in the half. But KU couldn’t convert and had to punt a second time in a minute of game action, but no damage was done and KU went into the half down 30-21.
The Jayhawks received the ball to start the second half. It looked as if the drive would continue due to a pass interference call on third and seven, but the refs picked up the flag and KU punted. After a KSU punt, Locklin again gifted the Wildcats, this time with a fumble that KSU recovered on the KU 38, leading to another Kansas State touchdown on fourth and goal.
The Jayhawks again looked to cut the lead to single digits at the start of the fourth quarter. After an incredible catch on third down, it was Jared Casey again with a miraculous grab in the end zone but it was ruled incomplete. Instead, it was Daniels spinning into the end zone but stayed down for a while holding his hip. KU then went for two with Jason Bean looking for Mason Fairchild but Fairchild couldn’t hold on and the score remained 37-27.
Then, of course, special teams struck again and KU gave up a huge kickoff return all the way to the Kansas 30. The defense stepped up and forced KSU to go for it on fourth and goal from the four, which was then backed up thanks to a false start penalty and the Wildcats settled for a field goal.
Kansas went three and out and elected to punt instead of go for it on fourth down, all but sealing its fate. Because the next time the Jayhawk offense touched the ball, they were down 20 after K-State gouged KU on the ground for another rushing TD with 4:30 left.
The regular season came to a close in less than stellar fashion, but Kansas is still going bowling at 6-6, potentially in the Liberty Bowl.
