Texas Tech Is Elite, but Kansas Failed To Capitalize on Its Opportunities

It was well known heading into Saturday night's matchup between the Kansas Jayhawks and the Texas Tech Red Raiders that the home team was the superior side.

TTU entered the contest without a win by fewer than four scores and had looked like one of the most dominant teams in the nation through its first five games.

Although the final score of 42–17 suggested another commanding victory for the Red Raiders, there was a brief stretch where KU had a sliver of hope, but it was one that quickly slipped away. Regardless of how talented Texas Tech is, the Jayhawks made several costly mistakes that exposed their recurring weaknesses.

The game could not have started much worse for Lance Leipold's group, as Texas Tech jumped out to an early 15–0 lead within the first few drives while also capitalizing on a Jayhawk turnover.

However, once quarterback Behren Morton went down with an ankle injury, the Jayhawks began to find some rhythm. Jalon Daniels and the KU offense finally got rolling, cutting the deficit to four points at halftime.

Unfortunately, the second half was all Texas Tech, as the Red Raiders regained control and never looked back.

Third Down Play Calling Has Been Abysmal

All season long, the Jayhawks have struggled to convert on third downs. They have converted on fewer than one-third of their third-down attempts (32.93%), a significant decline from 2024 when they moved the chains on a Big 12-best 50.7% of third downs.

This Saturday, once again, that weakness proved costly.

After forcing a punt on the opening drive of the second half, the offense began to move the ball downfield until it faced a third-and-1 situation against a stacked Texas Tech front.

Offensive coordinator Jim Zebrowski elected to run the ball with Leshon Williams directly into the heart of the Red Raiders' defensive line, resulting in a loss of one yard and an eventual punt. The call effectively killed all the momentum KU had just built.

Later in the quarter, the Jayhawks faced another crucial third-down opportunity in Red Raider territory. Instead of dialing up an RPO concept that would've allowed Jalon Daniels to make a read on the defense, Zebrowski went with a play-action pass out of a singleback formation.

The offensive line immediately collapsed, Daniels was sacked for a nine-yard loss, and KU was pushed out of field goal range, wiping away a chance to cut the deficit to one possession with a Laith Marjan field goal attempt.

Kansas' Jalon Daniels runs with the ball against Texas Tech during a Big 12 Conference football game, Saturday, Oct. 11, 2024 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock. | Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It was clear there was a significant talent disparity in the trenches all night. Texas Tech boasts one of the best defensive lines in the nation, and KU had no real answer to stop them.

Still, the coaching staff, and Zebrowski especially, must recognize the personnel they have, which is a dual-threat quarterback with elite mobility who should be trusted to pick up a yard in key moments.

Just like in the losses to Missouri and Cincinnati, there were plenty of factors that contributed to the outcome, but Kansas' third-down play calling continues to stand out as an issue. Until that improves, questions about the coaching staff's game plans will continue to be asked.