Kansas' Comeback Comes Up Short as Jayhawks Fall 35-23 to Baylor
Once again, these Kansas Jayhawks displayed a never-quit attitude that has been missing since Lance Leipold came to town. Unfortunately, it was after KU dug itself into a giant hole and wasn’t able to complete the comeback, falling to Baylor 35-23.
Jalon Daniels suited up for the game but didn’t play, as Jason Bean once again got the start. But Kansas began the 11 a.m. game as if it missed its alarm and overslept. The wind was howling, and a three and out by the Jayhawks to start was followed by a 14-yard punt giving Baylor the ball in KU territory.
After a Bears touchdown, Quentin Skinner fumbled on the first play, giving Baylor the ball on KU’s 25 yard line. The first of many third down conversions for Baylor led to the Bears’ second touchdown. The Jayhawks got on the board with a 30-yard field goal but the rest of the half was all Baylor.
The lead ballooned to 28-3 near the end of the first half when Skinner again put the ball on the ground with 26 seconds left deep in KU territory. It looked like Skinner bobbled it for an incomplete pass but the call stood. But the Bears couldn’t convert. After a wide-open drop in the end zone, a pass of the hands fell into Craig Young’s lap for an interception.
The good fortune continued at the start of the second half. Baylor was again marching in Kansas territory when Jerome Robinson striped Shapen and recovered the fumble, taking it 50 yards to the Baylor 10. Devin Neal then capitalized on the turnover with Kansas’ first touchdown of the game to make it 28-10.
The Kansas defense finally got a stop with the help of a big Baylor drop on third down but the first BU punt of the game pinned Kansas down at their own five yard line. After starting 2-6 on third down, Bean and the offense converted one huge third down after another. First it was a third-and-nine pickup to Casey to the 26. Bean found Skinner on third down to get into Baylor territory. Third and 13 and Bean found Lawrence Arnold for the first down. The drive was capped with an over-the-shoulder 24-yard touchdown catch by Skinner. The two-point conversion failed, making the Baylor lead 12 at 28-16.
Baylor answered the Kansas scoring run by running it down Kansas’ throats. But on a fourth and inches, Kansas stopped the quarterback sneak and forced a turnover on downs at their own seven yard line.
The Jayhawks took over at their own seven and it was great protection by the offensive line giving Bean all day to find Arnold for a first down near the 40. And then Bean went deep to Trevor Wilson to the Baylor 2. A false start pushed it back to the seven and on third and goal, Bean scrambled for a touchdown. Just like that, Kansas cut it to five, 28-23, with 6:29 left in the game.
Baylor went back to the ground to get inside Kansas territory with the clock running and on third and two, an option play to Reese got the Bears inside the Kansas 10 and then he took it into the end zone with 2:37 left to extend the Bears’ lead to two scores. Baylor gouged the Jayhawks for 278 yards on the ground, with Reese going for 186 yards and two touchdowns.
Kansas was unable to convert on fourth down, allowing Baylor to take over with 2:02 left and end the game with a series of kneel downs.
Bean threw for 232 yards and ran for another 25 but the Jayhawks’ running game was never able to get going. KU only gained 56 yards on 22 carries, despite rushing for two touchdowns. The third-down efficiency switched in the second half. Kansas went 6-11 on third down after starting 2-6, while Baylor finished 8-16 on third down after starting 6-9 in the first half. But the running game for the Bears was enough to seal it.
Kansas has a bye week next week to get healthy before welcoming Oklahoma State to Lawrence on November 5.
