Live Game Thread & Updates for Kansas Football vs K-State

First Quarter

15:00 - Kansas wins the toss and elects to defer. The Wildcats will start with the ball and we are just about underway.

14:56 - WHAT A START. K-State fumbles on the opening kickoff and KU falls on it to force a turnover. It is raining, and the conditions on the field are extremely slippery. The Jayhawks take over inside the 30.

12:50 - Jalon Daniels takes it himself on 3rd-and-2 and dekes out two defenders to get into the end zone. However, it appears as though he may have fumbled at the half-yard line before the ball crossed the plane. Officials are reviewing it right now. UPDATE: Officials upheld the initial call and the Jayhawks get away with one. Kansas leads, 7-0.

12:34 - The Jayhawks' defense racks up a holding penalty on the Wildcats' first play from scrimmage. Then, K-State picks up an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty to push the field position back.

9:50 - A jump-ball catch for Jayce Brown puts KSU in the red zone, and Avery Johnson runs it in for a touchdown on second down. KU's pass defense is struggling right now, allowing 53 air yards on the first drive. Kansas State ties it, 7-7.

9:16 - A quick three-and-out for the offense after Daniels misses on two passes. As punter Finn Lappin gathers the snap to boot it away, he bobbles it and it ends up in the hands of a K-State player. The Sunflower Showdown special teams miscues continue. Kansas State leads, 14-7.

4:24 - A long, methodical, and run-first drive is spoiled by a fumble by Daniels on 4th-and-3. There have now been three lost fumbles in the quarter. Daniels previously missed Emmanuel Henderson Jr. over the top for what could have been a long touchdown. K-State now has an opportunity to extend its lead.

3:25 - The Jayhawks regain some momentum after forcing two incompletions and a near-fumble on third down. Kansas will begin the drive at its own 20-yard line.

2:27 - Daniels throws it directly to a K-State defender on third down and it slips out of his hands. KU's quarterback is now 3-of-9 passing with 17 yards, a lost fumble, and two near-interceptions. The Jayhawks have no shot if he does not get it going soon. K-State starts the drive at its 28-yard line.

0:12 - Johnson hits Jaron Tibbs for 27 yards in the end zone. Kansas has allowed 116 passing yards and 21 points in the first quarter. Kansas State leads, 21-7.

Second Quarter

12:19 - Daniels is sacked twice and KU is forced to punt it again. The offense is having one of its roughest halfs of the season. K-State nearly coughed up the punt return but fell on the ball to recover it.

9:04 - The KU defense makes a stand on third-and-long to force a punt. K-State is just out of field goal range. The Jayhawks will begin the drive at the 14-yard line.

1:59 - Kansas faces a third-and-long opportunity in K-State opportunity at the two-minute timeout. On third-and-1, Daniels tried to find Henderson in the end zone and threw an incompletion, but Chris Klieman accepted the 10-yard penalty instead of forcing a fourth down.

0:30 - The Jayhawks have risen. An 18-play, 85-yard, and 8:34 drive took up more than half the quarter and resulted in a Daniel Hishaw Jr. touchdown. This one isn't over yet, and KU can tie it up in the second half if no points are scored in the final 30 seconds. Kansas scores and trails, 21-14.

Third Quarter

13:29 - Three-and-out to open the half. Daniels missed Henderson for a deep shot on third down. K-State returned it to its own 40-yard line.

12:03 - A tackle for loss and drop on third down leads to another punt. Kansas has a chance to tie it once again with good field position.

11:10 - Daniels hits Keaton Kubecka for what should have been a third-down conversion, but it bobbles out of his hands and K-State picks it off. Daniels' third interception of the year and KU's third turnover of the day, and KSU starts in plus territory.

7:23 - Avery Johnson converted a pivotal fourth-and-1 on a quarterback run, and K-State runs it in for six shortly after. Time is running out for the Jayhawks' offense to get it going. Kansas State leads, 28-14.

1:21 - Laith Marjan hits a field goal from 47 yards out. It is still a two-possession game in Lawrence. Defense needs to step up right now. Kansas State leads, 28-17.

1:02 - One play, one touchdown. Jayce Brown goes deep and beats Austin Alexander badly for a score. The Kansas cornerbacks are completely lost out there. Make it 17 in a row. Kansas State leads, 35-17.

Fourth Quarter

N/A

How to Watch Kansas vs. Kansas State

Time: 11 a.m. CT
Channel: TNT or HBO Max
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Kansas vs. Kansas State Preview

Sitting at 3-4, this Kansas State team is far different than in past years. The Wildcats opened the year with a loss to Iowa State in Ireland, and everything has seemed to go wrong since.

They lost to other schools like Army and Arizona, games they were heavily favored to win, and are now in jeopardy of missing a bowl game because of it.

It has been a weird season for KSU. The team has dealt with injuries to several standout players, including running back Dylan Edwards, who is out tonight.

The 'Cats have had to rely on a suspect defense and an offense that doesn't particularly move the ball well downfield through the air. One of the biggest matchups tonight will be between quarterbacks Jalon Daniels and Avery Johnson, who are both dual-threat stars with different skill sets.

Kansas has struggled to stop opponents from running the ball, and that is exactly K-State's specialty, with Johnson taking read options and backup Joe Jackson expected to carry the load in the backfield in place of Edwards.

Neither of these teams has been particularly impressive on defense, but they can both score in a hurry, which means fans should gear up for a high-scoring affair in Lawrence.

KU has undoubtedly turned its program around since Lance Leipold took the job, but one thing still missing from his resume is a rivalry win. The Jayhawks were unable to take down Missouri earlier this year, and Leipold enters today with a 0-4 record in the Sunflower Showdown.

This team features some of the last players recruited before the Leipold era. Those guys have been the cornerstones of the program's rebuild.

This game means everything for players like Daniels, who helped rebuild Kansas football from the ground up.

It feels like every year, Jayhawk fans (including myself) tell themselves, "This is the season it’s different." Maybe this time, it actually will be.

If not, KU will continue to be the punchline of one of college football's longest and most frustrating rivalry streaks.