By James Madden
Kansas football got back on track on Saturday, taking down Oklahoma State 38-21 to improve to 5-4.
The Jayhawks’ offense led a valiant rushing attack on Saturday to take down Oklahoma State, behind 232 total rushing yards. The ground game was a sight to behold, with Daniel Hishaw Jr and Leshon Williams leading the way for Kansas. Their combined 142 yards and three touchdowns were the story of the evening’s dominant win over the Cowboys.
Oklahoma State did, however, lead early in the first quarter, when Zane Flores found Shamar Rigby wide open in the end zone for a 12-yard touchdown.
Following the Cowboys’ opening drive touchdown, the Jayhawks went on to score 24 straight points, taking a commanding 24-7 lead in the third quarter. The scores consisted of a Daniel Hishaw Jr. three-yard run, a Boden Groen three-yard reception, a Bryson Canty five-yard reception and a Laith Marjan 39-yard field goal.
With Oklahoma State staring down the barrel of another blowout loss, the Cowboys’ experienced wide receiver Gavin Freeman powering an end around run into the left side of the end zone, and cutting the Kansas lead down to 24-14.
Following Freeman’s touchdown run, Kansas promptly answered with a clinical drive of its own. The Jayhawks scored on just six plays, with the drive ending in Daniel Hishaw Jr’s second touchdown run of the night.
With the Cowboys looking to answer and remain in the game, Kansas’ defense made its biggest stop of the night, when former Oklahoma State safety Lyrik Rawls broke up a pass intended for Sam Jackson V on fourth down and forced a turnover on downs.
The Jayhawks, trying to drain the clock, dominated the trenches again, and worked a lengthy ten-play, 39-yard drive that was capped off with a Leshon Williams five-yard touchdown run.
On the final drive of the night, Kansas safety Syeed Gibbs thought he had forced a game-sealing fumble, when he labeled Oklahoma State’s backup quarterback, Banks Bowen, but the play was called back and ruled as a targeting penalty against Gibbs. With that, Gibbs will now be forced to miss the first half of next week’s game against Arizona.
Following this fortunate break for the Cowboys, running back Sesi Vailaihi sealed an 11-play, 75-yard touchdown drive by powering in for his second score of the season. Vailaihi’s score made it a 38-21 Kansas lead with 1:19 remaining.
Kansas backup quarterback Cole Ballard entered the game for the final two plays, kneeling on both and polishing off the Jayhawks’ victory.
Kansas improved to 5-4 on Saturday, following its 17-point win, and the Jayhawks now sit one win away from clinching bowl eligibility.
The Jayhawks are back in action on the road, and will travel to Tucson, Arizona to face Arizona next Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. central time and will be broadcast on ESPN.