Kansas needed something to go right in its homecoming game against Baylor, and it got the kind of finish that can turn a miserable afternoon into a season-changing jolt. The Jayhawks erased an 11-point deficit to start the fourth quarter, then won 25-24 when they blocked Rhett Armstrong’s field-goal attempt with time running out.
That finish mattered on several levels. Kansas improved to 3-4, kept its bowl hopes alive with a couple more wins, and snapped a 14-game losing streak against Baylor. It also gave Lance Leipold a much-needed result in a game the Jayhawks had to have.
The comeback didn’t happen cleanly, though. Kansas spent much of the day fighting itself, fighting the officials and fighting a Baylor team that had control for long stretches. Still, KU found a way to string together two touchdown drives in the fourth quarter and steal the game at the end.
One of the more uncomfortable storylines again involved punter Matthew Gill. Last week against K-State, his dropped snap led to a safety before halftime, and his first punt Saturday brought a similar wave of frustration.
The Australian freshman’s opening kick went only 36 yards and drew boos from the home crowd. Gill looked visibly upset on the sideline afterward.
Then came the turn. On his second punt, with Kansas backed up at its own 12-yard line, Gill got a favorable bounce and ripped off a 66-yard boot that kept Baylor from adding points before halftime. The reaction from the crowd shifted to sarcastic cheers, but the point was clear: if the bad kicks get called out, the good ones should count too.
The offensive operation was more complicated. Kansas finished 5-for-8 on fourth down, which kept the chains moving, but Andy Kotelnicki’s attack started to telegraph itself late.
On too many third-and-long snaps, KU appeared content to run straight up the middle and set up fourth down rather than try to win the down outright. That approach nearly backfired in the fourth quarter when Dylan Edwards was stopped short of the line to gain, leading to a turnover on downs a few minutes after a huge Kansas interception.
The Jayhawks have clearly embraced aggression on fourth down, and there’s value in that. But the downside showed up in the numbers: Kansas went just 5-for-18 on third down, a sign that it was leaning too heavily on the idea that it could clean things up on fourth.
Then there was the officiating, which played a major role in keeping the game messy. A Carson Bruhn holding call erased a first-quarter touchdown, and a third-quarter sequence drew even more heat.
Dak Brinkley had what should have been a sack that would have left Baylor facing third-and-26 from the Kansas 37-yard line while protecting a 14-10 lead. Instead, a late flag came in, the play went to review, and Kansas was hit for illegal substitution.
The issue was that Leroy Harris III was still trying to get off the field when Baylor snapped the ball. The officials allowed the play to continue, then penalized Kansas for a substitution issue that should never have been allowed to happen without the chance to finish the change. Baylor scored three plays later to stretch the lead to two possessions.
Kansas still survived it, but the call was a mess.
There were also chances KU left on the field before halftime. Isaiah Marshall missed Nahzae Cox wide open down the left sideline on one throw, then Nik McMillan couldn’t haul in a ball in the end zone a few plays later. Marshall’s arm talent was part of the problem there, and Kansas should have gone into halftime with the lead if a few of those throws had been cleaner.
The second half opened with an even bigger blunder: a pick-6 on a miscommunication on the first offensive play from scrimmage. That kind of mistake is hard to excuse from a Division I quarterback.
Still, Marshall found a way to recover, and his legs became a major factor. His go-ahead touchdown run with a little over a minute left gave Kansas the edge it needed.
Before Saturday, KU had gone 0-32 combined across its losing streaks against Kansas State and Baylor. That streak is gone now.
And for Leipold, the win offered a much-needed answer to one of the biggest knocks against him: that his teams don’t show up when the stage gets bigger. This may not have been a marquee opponent in the traditional sense, but it was still the biggest win of Kansas’ season. The defense delivered when it had to, Marshall led the late drive, and KU got its first conference win of the year.
In Other News...
Kansas Gets An Early Duke Test Bill Self Clearly Wanted
Bill Self did not have to wait long for another measuring stick after Kansas dropped an 89-83 decision to No. 11 Louisville at Allen Fieldhouse. The Jayhawks now turn right around for a preseason matchup with No. 2 Duke, a game that gives Kansas another high-end challenge and, just as importantly, a chance to get a clearer read on where this team stands before the games start counting for real.
Self has talked about the value of the home-and-home setup, especially because it comes without the pressure of a conference result hanging over it. Duke has looked sharp in exhibition play, while Kansas is trying to carry the lessons from Louisville into its official season opener against Fordham. For a veteran coach trying to sort out what works and what still needs fixing, this is the kind of early test he clearly wanted. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Finally Got The Breakthrough Win Fans Desperately Needed
A long wait finally ended in Lawrence on Saturday, and Kansas got the kind of result that can reset a season. The Jayhawks edged Baylor 25-24 at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, snapping a losing streak in the series that stretched back to 2007 while also landing their first Big 12 win of the year. It was the sort of game that gave the home crowd plenty to hold onto, with Dylan Edwards grinding out 156 rushing yards and Carson Bruhn adding five catches, including the first touchdown of his career.
The finish carried the kind of tension Kansas fans have been craving, with Isaiah Marshall powering in the winning touchdown run and Blake Herold turning the final minute into a pressure-packed stand by blocking a 45-yard field goal attempt. For a team looking for something to build on, the breakthrough mattered almost as much as the points on the board. It was a reminder that in a season where margins had been tight, Kansas finally found the last play it had been chasing. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Young Core Gave Fans A Reason To Believe Against Duke
Kansas came out of its final preseason exhibition with a 90-84 loss to No. 2 Duke, but there was still plenty for Jayhawks fans to file away as the regular season nears. The night offered a clear look at the group that will have to help carry Bill Selfs team early, and the young players did not shrink from the stage. Keanu Dawes scored 11 points and delivered a few momentum-shifting plays, while Christian Reeves set an early tone with rebounding and defense.
The freshmen also had their say, with Tyran Stokes, Taylen Kinney and Trent Perry each contributing in a game that never felt too big for them. Kansas finished exhibition play 1-2, but the bigger takeaway was the response after Duke pushed ahead, as the Jayhawks kept battling and gained a useful dose of live-game experience along the way. For a roster leaning on youth, that kind of showing may end up mattering just as much as the result. [Read more 🡒]