Hawking Points: Kansas Runs Over UCF 51-22 to Move to 5-1
With Jason Bean starting for a second straight week and the Kansas Jayhawks back at home, KU proved last week was an exception from an offensive standpoint as the Jayhawks steamrolled UCF 51-22 on its way to a 5-1 record.
John Rhys Plumlee started for UCF but was in and out in the second half, still nursing a knee injury, and ultimately was ruled out in the second half in favor of Timmy McClain.
Key Plays
It was a slow first quarter, with KU forcing punts on UCF’s drives and having to settle for a field goal on its first drive. On drive two, Neal got KU to midfield with a 22-yard run, Bean found Luke Grimm for a fantastic sideline catch to the UCF 15, and Bean then connected with Lawrence Arnold from five yards out for the first TD of the game.
Kansas followed it up after another UCF three and out by going 72 yards in 12 plays that was capped off with a Daniel Hishaw touchdown run from three yards out.
But maybe the biggest play of the first half came with 3:26 left in the half when Trevor Wilson took a UCF punt back 82 yards for a touchdown.
Not satisfied with a 24-0 lead, Devin Neal took the handoff on the first play of the second half and went 75 yards for a touchdown to make it 31-0. Then the Jayhawks marched down the field over six minutes and scored again, this time with Dylan McDuffie getting into the endzone for KU’s third rushing touchdown of the game.
The special teams performance continued as Kenny Logan nearly took the kickoff back for a touchdown but tripped over a teammate at midfield. Then it was Hishaw who carried the ball on all four plays and ended with a direct-snap run for a touchdown.
Even with the second-teamers in up 22, Kansas continued to run it down uCF's throats, this time with McDuffie breaking tackles and getting KU into the UCF red zone. He then got in the end zone again before the day was done.
Eye-Catching Stat Lines
The story of the game was Kansas’ ability to dominate the running game. The Jayhawks averaged 7.8 yards per game, compiling 399 yards and five touchdowns on 51 carries. Devin Neal led the way with 154 yards on 12 carries, while Hishaw also hit the 100-yard mark with 134 yards on 19 carries. And McDuffie racked up 91 yards on 13 carries.
While KU ran wild on offense, the Kansas defense kept UCF contained. After compiling 45 yards in their first five plays, UCF only managed eight yards in its next nine plays. The Knights compiled most of their yardage in the second half after the game was out of reach.
How dominant was KU in the first half? The broadcast highlighted that it was the first time UCF had been shut out for a half since October 31, 2015 at Cincinnati.
Bean did exactly what Kansas needed him to do when the rushing attack was leading the way – take care of the ball and convert big throws when needed. Bean finished the day completing eight of 12 passes for 91 yards and a TD. He also rushed for 10 yards.
Eye-Covering Moments
UCF finally showed offensive life after getting down 31, and it was sparked by a 53-yard run by RJ Harvey down to the KU 13. McClain then finished the drive with a touchdown pass to Alec Holler. The Knights went for two but it was unsuccessful.
After Kansas scored again, the snap on the extra-point attempt was bobbled and UCF ended up scooping the ball up and running it back for a two-point conversion, making it 37-8. UCF then put on an impressive 17-play, 75-yard drive over more than eight minutes to make it 37-15.
The KU defense got a bit lax in the fourth quarter, as UCF answered each KU score with a touchdown of its own in the fourth quarter.
The first miscue of the season in the kicking game came after Seth Keller missed a 32-yard field goal that would have given KU a 47-22 lead.
Takeaways
The Jayhawks proved the ceiling is still high even if Jalon Daniels can’t play. The offensive line and rushing attack is completely suffocating to opposing defenses and the KU defense did enough to give the Jayhawks a big lead. And then the special teams made additional big plays stand out.
If the game ended after three quarters, it might have been a near-perfect performance. The defense gave up some big plays, KU missed a field goal, and several injuries to the defense took place. Not the way you want to end, but they got the convincing win nonetheless.
Kansas will likely be underdogs against Oklahoma, but it has a really good shot in every other matchup this year. KU is a win away from bowl eligibility and is still very much in the hunt for a trip to the Big 12 championship game.
