Final, KU wins 45-13
It wasn’t as pretty right from go as the first two were on offense for KU, but the numbers were still there at the end, as KU piled up 559 yards of offense in the bashing of Toledo.
Todd Reesing was 16-of-35 through the air for 313 yards and four touchdowns. He wasn’t as efficient in terms of completion percentage as he had been in the first two weeks, but his receivers piled up tons of yards after short receptions. He hit four receivers (Aqib Talib, Marcus Henry, Dezmon Briscoe and Dexton Fields) for touchdowns.
Marcus Henry recorded his third straight 100-yard game to start the season, tying a KU record. He had seven grabs for 133 yards.
In the backfield, Jake Sharp led all ballcarriers with 127 yards on 13 carries. Brandon McAnderson had 52 yards on 12 totes with two touchdowns. For Toledo, DaJuane Collins had 102 yards and a late score on 14 carries.
KU’s defense ended its takeaway drought, picking off three passes and recovering one fumble.
Next week, KU concludes its non-conference schedule with a 6 p.m. kickoff against Florida International before heading into its bye week.
2:56, fourth quarter, KU leads 45-7
Toledo looked like it was going to score some points for pride, driving deep into KU territory, when Maxwell Onyegbule stripped Clint Cochran in the backfield, forcing a fumble that was recovered by Jeff Wheeler. That gave KU its opportunity to run down the clock.
KU squandered that chance, as it was fumbled away just three snaps later on a third-and-long, giving Toledo the ball at the KU 13-yard line with 1:58 left in the game.
13:46, fourth quarter, KU leads 45-7
KU’s first possession of the fourth quarter, which began at the 14:47 mark, saw the second team offense, or most of it, take the field. Two snaps later, Kerry Meier threw his first incompletion of the season on his eighth pass attempt.
On the play before, Jake Sharp continued to pad his stats with a twisting and cutting 24-yard run up the left side of the defense, giving him 127 yards on the night.
Scott Webb missed on a 45-yard field goal attempt to end the drive emptyhanded.
1:45, third quarter, KU leads 45-7
KU forced another Toledo three-and-out, despite a Rockets change at quarterback, replacing Opelt with Clint Cochran.
Todd Reesing continued to hurry up and earn himself a well-deserved seat on the bench to watch the fourth quarter. First, he struck Marcus Henry for 21 yards on the left sideline, and then found Dexton Fields, who earlier in the drive had a 16-yard gain on a reverse play. Fields spun upfield after hauling in the short pass and shot down the sideline for a 26-yard score.
2:58, third quarter, KU leads 38-7
KU was given a gift on Toledo’s next possession. After a penalty pinned them deep, Aaron Opelt was picked for the third time in the game while rolling to his left. He tried to flip a short pass over John Larson, who was in front of him in pursuit. Instead, Larson elevated, and rumbled down to the three-yard line of Toledo.
Three snaps later, Brandon McAnderson scored for the second time in a matter of minutes, putting the blowout into full motion at 38-7 following a Scott Webb kick. McAnderson now has 52 yards on 12 carries and two scores.
5:31, third quarter, KU leads 34-7
Aqib Talib’s first interception of the year was followed by a 17-yard return, setting KU up at its own 47-yard line.
After a couple of tough Todd Reesing runs up the right side of the line, he struck Marcus Henry for the sixth time, setting up a 27-yard touchdown run by Brandon McAnderson on an option play up the right side.
McAnderson now has 52 yards on 10 carries with a touchdown, complementing Jake Sharp’s 103 yards on 12 totes.
9:05, third quarter, KU leads 24-7
Toledo’s opening possession in the second half netted a first down, but then stalled, giving the ball back to KU at its own eight-yard line after Raimond Pendleton safely fielded a punt.
KU had similar fortunes, however, when a third-and-seven pass was a bit too tall and slipped from the fingers of Marcus Henry. Kyle Tucker’s shanked punt set Toledo up at the Kansas 36-yard line.
Toledo couldn’t take advantage, but set KU inside its own five-yard line for its second possession of the third quarter.
Halftime, KU leads 24-7
While Todd Reesing hasn’t looked as sharp as he has the past two weeks, he still has 239 yards through the air with three touchdowns on just 12-of-29 passing.
Marcus Henry has tied a KU record with three straight 100-yard receiving games. He has 104 yards on five catches. Freshman Dezmon Briscoe has been a nice complement to him, with 56 yards and a score of his own on three grabs.
In the backfield, Jake Sharp has already secured his second 100-yard performance of the year, with 100 yards on just 11 carries.
KU has outgained Toledo on offense 373-109.
KU’s defense has finally forced a turnover for the first time this year, thanks to a Darrell Stuckey interception deep in KU territory. On the flip side, KU has a lost fumble on offense, and Raimond Pendleton has also muffed two punts, losing one to the other side.
0:41, second quarter, KU leads 24-7
KU obviously was itching to score again before the half, as Reesing went to the air early and often. First, he hit Marcus Henry to the 26-yard line, putting him over 100 yards receiving for the third straight game, tying a KU school record.
On the next snap, Reesing found Dezmon Briscoe, who wrestled his way into the end zone for the second touchdown of his KU career, giving momentum back to KU and putting them up 24-7 with less than a minute to go until the break.
1:53, second quarter, KU leads 17-7
Marcus Henry hauled in his fourth pass of the game on a crucial third-and-10 on KU’s next drive, giving him 90 yards and pushing KU to near midfield at the 4:25 mark in the second quarter. On the next snap, Jake Sharp went over the 100-yard mark for the second time in three games this season. After that carry, he had 11 carries for 100 yards.
KU again was forced to go for it on fourth down once again at the Toledo 36-yard line, and once again there was an incompletion thrown in Marcus Henry’s direction, handing the ball back to Toledo with 2:59 left until the half.
Toledo’s luck continued to be minimal on the offensive side of the football. A three-and-out was capitalized by a fumbled snap on third down.
Raimond Pendleton, though, muffed his second punt return of the night, and this time it hurt the Jayhawks by putting the ball at the KU 21 in Toledo’s hands.
It took one play for the Rockets to take advantage of the miscue. On a trick play, Opelt flipped a ball out to Nick Moore, who then threw it back to Opelt, leaving him with a convoy in front of him to go 21 yards for the score.
5:48, second quarter, KU leads 17-0
KU’s next possession was helped along with a roughing the passer call on third-and-14, pushing KU up towards midfield with a fresh set of downs. Jake Sharp then took the ball down to the Toledo 37, giving him eight carries for 72 yards so far in the contest.
The drive hit a fourth-and-10 wall at the 37 after Reesing’s floater for Dexton Fields fell from his extended right finger tips. In a tough spot, KU went for it, but the drive ended right there, as a pass for Marcus Henry fell to the turf right at the marker as it was a tad underthrown.
KU, though, finally forced its first turnover of the season, as Darrell Stuckey, who has been around the ball all night and forced an incompletion with a big hit just two plays earlier. He picked off an Aaron Opelt bomb at the KU 15-yard line.
11:27, first quarter, KU leads 17-0
KU’s defense was seemingly inspired even further from KU’s offensive production, getting the ball back thanks to another three-and-out, and the Jayhawks quickly got into Toledo territory.
The Jayhawks then started looking like their normal 2007 selves, as Reesing threw his second touchdown strike of the game. This time he hit Marcus Henry at about the 30-yard line, where Henry spun around like Talib did moments earlier, brandished his open field speed and scooted into the end zone.
Henry, who has gone over 100 yards receiving in each of the season’s first two games, now has three grabs for 73 yards in the first half. Reesing is 6-of-13 for 158 yards and two scores.
End of first quarter, Kansas leads 10-0
Toledo’s next drive got a big boost from Jalen Parmele, who ripped off a 33-yard run to put the Rockets into KU territory at the 37-yard line.
Aaron Opelt’s third down throw, though, was too tall for his intender receiver, and was nearly picked off. After a botched fake punt and a penalty for an ineligible man downfield, KU took over at its own 29.
Kansas turned the ball over for the first time on second-and-13, when Derek Fine made a nice leaping grab at midfield, but had the ball slapped from his mit when he tried to stretch for a first down. It was recovered at the Toledo 49 by Joe Underwood.
Toledo went solely to Jalen Parmele on three straight snaps, leaving them with a fourth-and-one. The Rockets were blown for a false start, though, forcing them to punt from the KU 46.
With the ball at its own six-yard line, KU went deep right away, with Todd Reesing going long for Marcus Henry down the right sideline. He was interferred with, though, giving KU some breathing room.
After a failed pass to Aqib Talib, Reesing kept it up with his arm, finding Marcus Henry over the middle for a 17-yard gain, putting the ball at the KU 42.
Reesing went right back to Talib, who caught a ball wide open at the 25-yard line. He then spun towards the sideline, and with a defender breathing down his neck, dove and executed a full flip from the five-yard line, scoring on a flashy 58-yard touchdown pass, putting KU up 10-0 after the extra point.
6:01 first quarter, Kansas leads 3-0
One starting lineup shakeup was noticeable on the first snap, as Ian Wolfe started for the first time this season over Cesar Rodriguez at right tackle.
Brandon McAnderson ran up that right side on the second snap for seven yards, but Reesing was sacked on third-and-three – Toledo’s first sack of the season. It forced KU into a three-and-out to start the game. Also on that third down, Chet Hartley went down with an apparent left leg injury, but was able to walk off the field.
KU forced Toledo into a similar scenario, getting the ball back inside its own 10-yard line. KU then went to work on the ground, with Jake Sharp picking up a pair of first downs on the ground, sandwiched by a 13-yard pass from Todd Reesing to freshman Dezmon Briscoe.
Sharp then was sprung by a solid Raimond Pendleton block to get the ball to the Toledo 30 on a 15-yard run up the right side, giving him 44 yards on his first four carries.
KU’s drive looked to stall after Marcus Henry’s catch on third-and-14 went for just 13 yards, but the Jayhawks went for it on fourth-and-one, with Reesing rushing up the right side for a four-yard game.
Reesing then fumbled on first-and-goal from the five, scooting the ball back three yards to the eight. The bad fortunes continued, as Marcus Henry caught a ball in the back of the end zone coming across, but it was jarred loose and incomplete on a brutal hit from Lester Richmond. Another incompletion led KU to a 25-yard field goal attempt by Scott Webb, which he snuck in on the left.
Pregame
KU is not only chasing its third straight victory to open the 2007 season tonight at Memorial Stadium, but also history.
With a 62-0 drubbing of Southeastern Louisiana a week ago, the ’07 Jayhawks became the first KU team to score 50-plus points in back-to-back games. Tonight, that could be re-written against a Toledo team which has started the season 0-2, allowing 52 points in each setback, falling to Purdue and Central Michigan.
Although history won’t serve as motivation for KU, who also has revenge on its mind from a 37-31 double overtime loss a year ago in Toledo.
While KU’s offense has soared in two games behind the three-headed monster of quarterback Todd Reesing, tailback Brandon McAnderson and receiver Marcus Henry, Toledo is struggling. They’ll trot Aaron Opelt out under center, and behind him is Jalen Parmele, who is averaging just 3.5 yards per tote this season, but had the game-winning TD run a year ago against the Jayhawks.
The biggest note for Toledo is the absence of four opening day defensive starters due to injury, mostly depleting its secondary.
