If only Kansas could have played like they did in the third quarter for the entire game. In that quarter they doubled their stats in first downs, passing yardage and total yardage, took the lead in possession time and scored on the vaunted “Wrecking Crew” defense. Otherwise, Kansas played with their usual flashes of brilliance interspersed with bad mistakes en route to a 47-22 rout.
Just when KU looked to get back into the game, they let it slip away. After getting back to within two scores, Kansas failed to recover the ensuing onside kick. The result was a quick three-play A&M scoring drive, although KU did manage to stop the Aggies from making the two-point conversion. They could not, however, stop A&M from scoring on their next drive and going up by four scores late in the game.
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Head Coach Mark Mangino claims his team keeps playing through four quarters, and they proved that today. Down by 24 points for the second time, and the Jayhawks’ offense was still driving.
Junior runningback Dan Coke came in for just one play, but it kept the drive alive. He took a toss from Bill Whittemore, only to pass it back to KU’s wide open quarterback for a 16-yard gain. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Whittemore found Byron Gasaway for their second touchdown of the game. Not stopping there, Whittemore hit Marcellus Jones for the two-point conversion.
The Texas Aggie “Wrecking Crew” defense finally surrendered some points. Two A&M turnovers deep in their own end resulted in seven Jayhawk points. That total would be higher if not for a poorly-timed penalty. A&M rebounded quickly with a lightning strike touchdown to go back up by 24 points.
It took an A&M fumble on their own 26 to set up the Kansas touchdown. Leo Etienne pounced on the loose ball at the 24-yard line, and two plays later Bill Whittemore hooked up with an open Byron Gasaway for a touchdown.
On the ensuing drive, backup Aggie quarterback Reggie McNeal was picked off by Greg Cole – the third straight A&M drive to end in a turnover. Kansas drove down to the A&M 18 before stalling. Johnny Beck hit the 35-yard field goal attempt, but a false start flag wiped out the points and moved KU back five yards. The 40-yard attempt was deflected wide left.
Only two plays later, A&M starting quarterback Dustin Long returned to toss a 69-yard scoring strike to Jamaar Taylor to regain the momentum. They would keep that momentum despite giving up a second Kansas touchdown, scoring two more of their own touchdowns.
After playing well throughout the first quarter and holding the Aggies scoreless, Kansas gave up three A&M touchdowns in a five-minute span to fall behind by three scores. To make matters worse, A&M’s “Wrecking Crew” defense finally showed up, surrendering just two first downs to KU in the second quarter.
As in previous weeks, Kansas’ defense showed flashes of brilliance mixed with bad mistakes. They forced A&M into several third-and-longs, but then let the visitors move the chains as often as not.
After the Aggies’ scoring spurt to begin the second quarter, both offenses seemed to have forgotten how to move the ball – until just before halftime when A&M put together a 58-yard drive that stalled at the KU two-yard line. A chip-shot later and A&M took a 24-point lead into halftime.
Some first half numbers: as a team, Kansas rushed for -2 yards. A&M’s total offensive production: 282 yards. Kansas punter Curtis Ansel averaged just over 45 yards on seven punts.
The Jayhawk defense finally broke but it took over a quarter to do so. Kansas faces a tough test today against an Aggie defense that has earned the nickname “The Wrecking Crew.” Last week, that same defense shut out a Baylor Bears team that put up 35 points on the Jayhawks.
In the early going today, it was the Kansas defense that had its way. A&M managed just one first down on its first two possessions. Kansas held the Aggies scoreless in the first quarter.
Kansas put the A&M defense to the test early by choosing to receive the opening kickoff and going on offense early. Perhaps this was part of Head Coach Mark Mangino’s plan to stop KU’s series of giving up two early touchdowns to three straight opponents.
The Wrecking Crew limited Kansas to just one first down before forcing a punt. KU’s defense proved just as stout, letting the Aggie offense get just that one first down on the second series – ending with a fourth-down stand.
A&M’s third offensive series proved better for them, running off five straight first downs, driving to the Kansas 12. Time expired in the first quarter with no score, but three plays into the second quarter, Derek Farmer ran the ball in from four yards out.
The Jayhawk offense responded with a three-and-out, after which the Aggies marched 62 yards in just five plays for their second touchdown.
On the ensuing kickoff Greg Heaggans’ fumble was scooped up by A&M’s Randle Webb, who had an easy ramble into the end zone for the Aggies’ second score in ten seconds of play.
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.
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