Here is an encapsulation of Kansas’ 2002 season: punter Curtis Ansel completed a 23-yard UNDERHAND pass to Greg Heaggans off a fake punt, but on the very next play Clark Green fumbled the ball – OSU’s Terrence Robinson scooped it up and rumbled 93 yards for a Cowboy touchdown. The extra point marked the 507th point given up by KU this year – a new record in futility. That equates to an averge of 42.25 points given up in each of KU’s 12 games this season.
After a solid third quarter, Kansas fell victim to yet another unfortunate play. A Curtis Ansel punt was blocked by the Cowboys and scooped up by OSU’s Thomas Wright and returned 15 yards for their sixth touchdown of the game – the first one that was not from a pass. On Kansas’ ensuing possession, Brian Luke replaced Zach Dyer at quarterback.
The starting quarterback for each team wore number 13. Each one completed 11 of 19 passes in the first half. The similarities ended there. Kansas’s Dyer has 125 yards and touchdown – not a bad half. Oklahoma State’s Josh Fields has racked up 221 yards and five touchdowns – records for both OSU’s offense and negatively for KU’s defense. Opposing quarterbacks have made a habit of having record days against Kansas this season. Fields later completed yet another touchdown pass late in the third quarter.
It has also been a banner day for Jayhawk freshman Clark Green. Not only has he ripped of a career-long 37-yard rush, but he has also set the Kansas record for the most passes caught by a runningback. Despite that, Green’s day is nowhere near that of Oklahoma State’s Rashaun Woods, who had three touchdown receptions in little more than a quarter’s play.
Dyer did not have a bad day, connecting with Byron Gasaway for Kansas’ second touchdown of the first half. Dyer and Green led a late first-half drive that resulted in a 42-yard Johnny Beck field goal, his first since the Bolwing Green game. Beck later missed a 32-yard kick on KU’s first drive of the second half.
For a brief 46 seconds, Kansas and Oklahoma State were tied. Clark Green capped a 55-yard drive with a four-yard plunge to knot the score at seven. Two plays later and OSU’s Rashaun Woods caught his second touchdown pass of the first quarter.
Dyer started at quarterback in place of the injured Bill Whittemore and Jonas Weatherbie. He completed his first four passes before missing three, but hit Byron Gasaway for a big third-down conversion as part of KU’s first touchdown drive.
Once again, Kansas let their opponent draw first blood. The Jayhawks held Okalhoma State on the Cowboys’ first two plays, but then gave up a big first down en route to surrendering a 75-yard touchdown drive.
And so ends the 2002 season.
Watch the replay tonight on Sunflower Cable channel 6 at 11 p.m.
For full coverage of today’s game, read tomorrow’s Lawrence Journal-World, and see KUSports.com.
