Dancing around the close-game flame is bound to burn a team – especially one with a track record of getting scorched in such situations.
Tally more evidence to the belief that Kansas University’s football program still needs to learn how to win. The Jayhawks couldn’t do it again Saturday, falling 21-18 to Texas A&M at home despite holding the lead for nearly the entire game.
A festive homecoming crowd – hyped by the prospects of victory all day long – finished the day charred, listening to the Texas A&M fight song bellowing out of the southeast corner of the stadium.
Many Jayhawk fans tried to file out of the venue as quickly as possible. Some simply sat, soaking in a game that inexplicably got away after a Texas A&M touchdown with 34 seconds left.
“How many games are we going to have like this?” running back Jon Cornish said. “It’s something we have to remedy, because it’s not fun.”
In coach Mark Mangino’s five seasons at KU, he’s 6-11 in games decided by one score, a stat that often reflects which teams swim, which sink and which tread in place without much progress in the standings.
Ahead 18-13, Kansas (3-3 overall, 0-2 Big 12 Conference) failed to convert a third-and-one and instead had to punt it back to Texas A&M (5-1, 1-1) with 3:31 to go. It was just enough time for TAMU quarterback Stephen McGee to orchestrate a game-winning, 80-yard drive.
McGee was 7-of-10 throwing during the final attack, which included the best play call of the day – a screen pass to L’Tydrick Riley on third down when Kansas was, as expected, bringing an aggressive rush to fluster the sophomore quarterback.
Riley darted for 35 yards, putting Texas A&M five yards from the end zone with time running out.
“The way we were making progress in the second half is, we were blitzing,” Mangino said. “That’s the only way that we could stop the pass – by putting pressure on the quarterback.
“It’s a good call on their part,” Mangino said of the screen pass. “The flip side to that is, if we don’t blitz every down, we don’t stop the passing game. So the outcome becomes the same.”
20
First downs earned by Texas A&M
10
First downs earned by Kansas
7-for-7
Combined red-zone scoring chances (KU was 4-for-4, A&M 3-for-3)
1, 3
Red-zone scoring chances that resulted in TDs for KU, Texas A&M
4.8
Yards per carry for 274-pound A&M running back Jorvorskie Lane
5.6
Yards per carry for 205-pound KU running back Jon
Cornish
3-for-15
Kansas’ third-down efficiency
8-for-17
Texas A&M’s third-down efficiency
Two plays later, 274-pound running back Jovorskie Lane rumbled in for the score from two yards out, and the two-point conversion gave the Aggies the three-point lead with 34 seconds left.
KU’s ensuing attempt to answer had to be 80 yards in about a half-minute. And considering the misaligned state of the offense Saturday, it might as well have been a mile to go.
One week after gaining 574 yards of offense against Nebraska, the Jayhawks had just 288 against the Aggies – with startling inefficiency in the red zone and on third downs. Because of it, Kansas had just one touchdown – a six-yard pass from Adam Barmann to Dexton Fields – and was forced to kick three field goals. A safety accounted for KU’s other two points.
Mangino dished some of the blame to depleted practices during the week because of multiple injuries on offense.
Barmann, though, didn’t think that was the reason.
“You have to give a lot of credit to A&M’s defense,” Barmann said. “They played pretty well, but for whatever reason, we weren’t executing.”
Barmann had just 127 yards on 13-of-31 passing. While Jon Cornish continued his machine-like season with 127 yards on 23 carries, the best effort through the air was a first-quarter fake punt, when Kyle Tucker flipped the ball underhanded to Brandon McAnderson, who then ran for a 48-yard gain.
That led to KU’s only touchdown.
McGee, meanwhile, flourished when he had time in the pocket, throwing for 240 yards and no interceptions. He never tried to go over the top of KU’s secondary like other opponents have, instead being content with 10-yard throws here and 15-yard tosses there.
His longest completion, in fact, was his last – the screen pass that ultimately led to KU’s nine-game winning streak at Memorial Stadium being busted.
Perhaps no October game is the end of the world, but more emphasis now lies on the last half of the season, when Kansas plays Big 12 South teams Oklahoma State and Baylor before closing the slate with four North teams.
More close games are almost a given considering the league’s parity this season. But considering the past, how comfortable is such a thought?
“It is tough, and we are disappointed,” Barmann said, “but we are definitely not out.”
Not out – but certainly not unscathed.
