Jayhawks shut out against West Virginia, 49-0

By J-W Staff Reports     Nov 21, 2015

Mike Yoder
Kansas wide receiver Tre' Parmalee, left, loses a fumble early in the first-half against the West Virginia Mountaineers Saturday, Nov. 21, 2015, at Memorial Stadium.

Any momentum for Kansas football disappeared in the first quarter against West Virginia on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.

The Jayhawks turned the ball over twice and gave up 28 points in the first 15 minutes, leading the way for a 49-0 thumping, pushing their losing streak to 14 games dating back to last season.

It was the first time the Jayhawks were shut out since Sept. 27, 2014 against Texas.

On their second play from scrimmage, KU freshman quarterback Ryan Willis tossed a 23-yard completion to senior receiver Tre’ Parmalee, who fumbled on a hit by WVU cornerback Terrell Chesnut.

Five plays later, the Mountaineers were in the end zone, scoring on a eight-yard run by junior running back Rushel Shell.

The bad start only turned worse. Willis was intercepted on the next drive, returned 32 yards for a touchdown by Chestnut. KU finished the half with eight straight punts and only one first down, which came on a defensive holding penalty.

The Mountaineers (6-4, 3-4 Big 12) added touchdowns in the second quarter with a 26-yard run by Rushel Shell and a 24-yard run by Wendell Smallwood.

West Virginia finished with 630 yards of offense, including 426 rushing yards on 55 attempts. Smallwood, Shell and WVU quarterback Skyler Howard all finished with more than 100 yards.

The Jayhawks (0-11, 0-8 Big 12) were held to 221 yards on offense and had 10 three-and-out punts. Willis was 13-for-38 for 127 yards and two interceptions.

Parmalee caught five passes for 64 yards, while running back De’Andre Mann had 49 yards on four carries.

KU sophomore Joe Dineen led the Jayhawks defensively with a career-high 16 tackles, including one for loss. Marcquis Roberts added seven tackles, and Derrick Neal had four tackles, two pass breakups and an interception in the fourth quarter.

— See what people were saying about the game during KUsports.com’s live coverage.

HOW THEY SCORED

First Quarter

11:34 — Rushel Shell 8 run. Josh Lambert kick. After Kansas wide receiver Tre’ Parmalee fumbled the ball following a big catch down the middle of the field, it only took West Virginia five plays to capitalize. A Wendell Smallwood 15-yard run and a 35-yard rush from quarterback Skyler Howard helped set up running back Shell’s untouched rushing TD, as WVU covered 63 yards in 1:40. (WVU 7, KU 0.)

11:15 — Terrell Chestnut 32-yard interception return. Lambert kick. KU quarterback’s third pass of the game got picked out of the air by WVU corner Chestnut, who happily took the gift down the west sideline for a defensive score. As a result, KU’s second series on offense lasted all of two plays. (WVU 14, KU 0.)

7:33 — Rushel Shell 26 run. Lambert kick. The first WVU score that didn’t result from a KU turnover, Shell’s easy rush for the end zone capped an eight-play, 76-yard scoring drive for the visiting Mountaineers. Howard completed his first pass of the game on the drive, but WVU mostly relied on six rushing plays. (WVU 21, KU 0.)

3:26 — Wendell Smallwood 24 run. Lambert kick. After Smallwood became the second WVU running back to break a long TD run, the Mountaineers were averaging 8.8 yards per play and had 166 rushing yards in the first quarter. WVU went 75 yards in eight plays, again relying on its dominant rushing attack. (WVU 28, KU 0.)

Second Quarter

10:05 — Cody Clay 2 pass from Howard. Lambert kick. A 42-yard rush by QB Howard right after a personal foul penalty on Gary Jennings keyed a quick WVU scoring drive. It only took the Mountaineers 1:27 to cross the goal line on the four-play, 50-yard series. Clay could not have been more open in the back left of the end zone. (WVU 35, KU 0.)

5:37 — Howard 9 run. Lambert kick. West Virginia’s quarterback got in on the rushing TD fun on an option read, correctly keeping the ball and beating KU’s defense to the left pylon to put the visitors up six touchdowns late in the second quarter. Howard throws set up the scoring drive as he completed passes of 13, 12 and nine yards en route to the end zone. (WVU 42, KU 0.)

Third Quarter

10:30 — Smallwood 1 run. Lambert kick. Denied his second rushing touchdown of the afternoon after a booth review ruled the WVU running back down at the half-yard line, Smallwood got the ball right back and scored the Mountaineers’ seventh TD of the afternoon (fifth rushing). It was a Smallwood-heavy series for WVU, which also featured an 18-yard run from the back. WVU went 72 yards in 11 plays using 4:03 of clock — its longest of the Mountaineers’ first seven TD drives. (WVU 49, KU 0.)

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