Kansas had enough offense to stay within striking distance, but not enough clean football to finish the job, and Arizona State walked away with a 24-17 win despite being outgained 414-228.
The Jayhawks spent much of the afternoon chasing the game after a rough opening stretch. They went three-and-out on their first possession, then came up empty on a fourth-down try in Arizona State territory later in the first quarter when Isaiah Marshall’s pass fell incomplete.
Arizona State carried a 3-0 lead into the second quarter, but Kansas flipped things for a moment when Tate Nagy took a punt back 72 yards for a touchdown with about 10 minutes left before halftime. That score put Kansas in front 7-3.
The lead did not last long. After both teams punted on their next series, Kansas gave Arizona State a short field with a poor punt, and the Sun Devils quickly cashed it in to retake the lead. Arizona State went into halftime up 10-7.
Marshall’s first half was quiet, as he finished 7 of 9 for 40 yards. Cutter Boley handled much of Arizona State’s production before the break, throwing for 80 yards and a touchdown. Kansas also never got rolling on third down in the opening half, failing to convert any of its chances.
Arizona State came out of halftime with another big swing, returning the kickoff for a touchdown to stretch the margin to 17-7. Kansas then took another hit when Yasin Willis was injured and seen in a boot. The Jayhawks later missed a 44-yard field goal that would have brought them within one score.
The defense kept Kansas alive for a while. The Jayhawks forced Arizona State into a turnover on downs in Kansas territory, but the Sun Devils still held a 17-7 edge heading into the fourth quarter. Arizona State padded that lead with a one-yard touchdown run to go up 24-7.
Kansas kept pushing, but Marshall was intercepted on fourth down in Arizona State territory. Even so, the Jayhawks found one more spark when Marshall hit Nagy for a 38-yard touchdown, Nagy’s second of the day, trimming the deficit to 24-14.
With five minutes left, Arizona State punted, and Kansas took over with no timeouts. The Jayhawks marched down for a 46-yard field goal to make it 24-17, but they still needed one more stop. Arizona State picked up a crucial third down to keep the clock moving, and the Sun Devils ran out the rest of the time.
Marshall ended up 17 of 33 for 235 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Boley went 11 of 23 for 95 yards and added 25 rushing yards.
Nazhèe Cox led all receivers with 68 yards, and Dylan Edwards paced the Kansas ground game with 89 yards. Kansas finished with four conversions on six third-down tries, but the early mistakes and the missed chances were enough to decide it. The Jayhawks now head into their bye week before returning against Middle Tennessee.
In Other News...
Lance Leipold Is Facing A Kansas Problem Fans Can't Ignore
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For Lance Leipold, the frustration is starting to pile up because the results keep looking too much alike. The Jayhawks have been close in enough of these games to make the margin feel especially costly, and the latest setback only sharpened the sense that small mistakes are carrying outsized consequences at the worst possible time. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Had A Few Bright Spots In An Ugly London Loss
Kansas came away from Wembley Stadium with an ugly 24-17 loss to Arizona State in the Union Jack Classic, and the score line only told part of the story. The Jayhawks had a few individual bright spots in a game where the offense sputtered and special teams hurt them, but the overall performance never found much rhythm as mistakes piled up on both sides of the ball.
Tate Nagy provided one of the few positive plays on offense with a touchdown and 61 receiving yards, while the defense got steady work from Leroy Harris III, who was around the ball often. Even so, Kansas could not overcome the combination of poor punting, multiple fumbles and a general lack of consistency, leaving plenty for the Jayhawks to sort through after a disappointing trip overseas. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Just Turned A Winnable Trip Into A Bowl Pressure Problem
Kansas turned a long trip to London into a missed opportunity Saturday, falling 24-17 to Arizona State at Wembley Stadium and slipping to 1-2 on the season. The Jayhawks had their share of momentum swings in the Union Jack Classic, including a 72-yard punt return touchdown by Tate Nagy, but they also gave away too many chances in a game that could have helped steady an early-season push.
Instead, the loss leaves Lance Leipolds team looking at a tougher road to bowl eligibility than it had before kickoff. With turnovers and decision-making under scrutiny and a challenging schedule ahead, Kansas now has little margin left to turn promising moments into the kind of wins it needs to stack fast. [Read more 🡒]