Halftime Musings: Kansas Jayhawks Explode in 2nd Quarter to Lead Cincinnati Bearcats 21-10

The Jayhawks recovered from a slow start very quickly as the entire team stepped up to build a halftime lead.

The Kansas Jayhawks gave up an early lead to the Cincinnati Bearcats, but really took off in the second quarter and flipped the entire game. Jason Bean made his return, and the Jayhawks headed into the break with a 21-10 lead. While the first half wasn't perfect (except for Bean), there are quite a few good things to take away. Here are three things I'm thinking about at the half:

Another Slow Start

It seems that there is just something with this team where they can't get off to a quick start. They let Texas Tech and Kansas State score very quickly, and it looked like Cincinnati would do the same. While Kansas was able to hold them to just a field goal, it was reasonable to wonder if this was going to be another bad start.

And the offense didn't do much to inspire confidence. They punted on their first two possessions and looked fairly uninspired, even as Jason Bean was perfect on the night. While Kansas got it turned around in the second quarter, it is still a bit unsettling how long it takes them to actually get going. 

Good to Have Bean Back

Don't get me wrong: Cole Ballard did a phenomenal job filling in for the injured Jason Bean for the last game and a half. But there is a reason that Jason Bean was so highly regarded coming into the year, and we saw it on full display in the first half. His perfect start to the game is impressive.

Eye-popping stat:

Jason Bean has 190 passing yards.
Cincinnati has 192 total yards.

— Rock Chalk Podcast (@RockChalkPod) November 26, 2023

He has been a huge spark plug for this team, allowing them to avoid relying heavily on the Wildcat looks and utilize the entire field. It's exciting to see what he can do in the second half.

Defense is Making AND Missing Big Plays

The fantastic interception by Cobee Bryant is absolutely a highlight of the game for the defense.

This was an interception…@cobeebryant2 https://t.co/biiZegtxn7 pic.twitter.com/NlDHA3IcHG

— Kansas Football (@KU_Football) November 26, 2023

But what probably won't get talked about too much is the missed opportunities for the Jayhawks. There was another dropped pick six that could have really changed the complexion of the game early. And there were plenty of missed tackles and other things that this defense shouldn't be allowing against a team like Cincinnati. It's what cost them in prior games, and they need to clean it up heading into a bowl game.