It didn’t take Isaiah Marshall long on Friday night to improve on his career totals of three pass completions for 28 yards.
Kansas’ new starting quarterback, a redshirt sophomore from Southfield, Michigan, hit receivers downfield for 46- and 47-yard connections in the first half of his 2026 debut. By the end of the second quarter, he had already gone 13-for-17 passing for 240 yards and a touchdown pass to Nik McMillan, and the Jayhawks were well on their way to what became a 51-6 blowout victory over FCS foe Long Island at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.
McMillan, a Buffalo transfer, dazzled with six catches for 130 yards. Running back Yasin Willis, a new acquisition from Syracuse, scored twice early on 11 rushes for 72 yards.
On defense, KU kept LIU out of the end zone thanks to efforts like those of defensive ends Leroy Harris III, whose four tackles were all for loss, and David Santiago, who made four tackles of his own and forced and recovered a fumble.
After a quick three-and-out on Long Island’s first possession, the Jayhawks turned the ball over on downs at the edge of field goal range when Marshall could not find tight end Carson Bruhn over the middle on fourth-and-3.
Marshall found Bruhn for 21 yards to start the next drive, and Willis ran for 20 yards. Marshall got away with a throw that should have been intercepted by Martavius Durden Jr., and a holding penalty on Nick Morrow set KU back before a screen pass to McMillan got 19 yards on third-and-18.
Willis took three straight carries and scored on the third. A trick play two-point conversion attempt out of an unbalanced formation was unsuccessful, as wide receiver Tate Nagy couldn’t find his target on a pass to the end zone.
LIU crossed midfield on a pass from Luca Stanzani to Joseph Young, but ended up punting after a sack and a quarterback hurry by Trey Lathan on consecutive plays.
Marshall and McMillan converted another key third down, and then Willis needed to leap over a pile of linemen to get a fourth down at the edge of the red zone. But Marshall overthrew Keaton Kubecka and Martin Connington kicked a short field goal to make it 9-0.
The Sharks’ offense regressed, and Marshall lofted a bomb to McMillan, who streaked past a pair of LIU defenders to set up another touchdown for Willis.
The next drive followed a similar pattern, with wide receiver Nahzae Cox beating out Xavier Cannaday on a long jump ball before reserve running back Jalen Dupree punched it in.
KU allowed one first down before holding LIU again. Dylan Edwards kick-started the drive and Marshall threw his first career touchdown to McMillan in the corner of the end zone as KU extended its lead to 30.
The Jayhawks started the second half with a heavy dose of Dupree. Walk-on running back Micah Johnson converted a fourth-and-1. Marshall had a rushing touchdown called back due to a holding penalty on Carter Moses, but came away with his second passing touchdown when a third-and-goal pass bounced off linebacker Jackson Barry and directly to Tate Nagy.
Stanzani put together a strong series to open the second half for LIU with a couple of scrambles and quick passes to Jayden Simpson. But on a third-and-6 inside run, Santiago wrestled the ball away from Sam Slade for the game’s first turnover.
Cole Ballard took over at quarterback and converted a long third down with the aid of some juke moves by Nagy. Johnson cashed in with an 8-yard touchdown run that extended the lead to 44-0 at the start of the fourth quarter.
Stanzani threw a 36-yard pass to Josiah Brown, and a targeting penalty on Khijohnn Cummings-Coleman advanced the Sharks deeper into KU’s end, where they ultimately settled for a field goal by Will Johnson.
Ballard’s shot to Bryson Hayes resulted in yet another rushing touchdown, this time for Donald Collier.
A low, line-drive punt by the Sharks deflected off KU’s Brandon Schmelzle and dropped to Issaiah Spivey for a turnover, which led to Johnson’s second field goal.
The Jayhawks will host rival Missouri on Friday at 7 p.m. The Tigers are 1-0 after a 54-14 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS
KU wideout Cam Pickett, who suffered an injury late in fall camp, missed the game. The Jayhawks also lost linebacker Bam Crouch to injury early in the first quarter, and Quincy Davis replaced him at the weak-side spot.
The Jayhawks’ all-time leading rusher Devin Neal raised the KU flag on the flagpole in the southeast corner of David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Jalon Daniels, Luke Grimm and Quentin Skinner were also in attendance.
Santiago and defensive tackle Marcus Calvin started on the line despite not being listed first on the depth chart. They had been announced as starters on the video board. Backup tight end Jailen Butler also earned a start on offense along with Bruhn.
Before the game, KU associate head coach Andy Kotelnicki was seen on the field greeting Brown, the Long Island wide receiver. Brown, a redshirt sophomore, is a transfer from Penn State, where Kotelnicki was the offensive coordinator.
Cummings-Coleman was ejected for targeting in the fourth quarter, but under the new targeting rules, he will not have to sit out the first half of KU’s game against Missouri because it is his first such penalty of the season.
HOW THEY SCORED
First quarter
5:59 — Yasin Willis 5-yard run. Conversion failed (Tate Nagy pass incomplete). Nine plays, 70 yards, 4:08 TOP. KU 6, LIU 0.
Second quarter
9:46 — Martin Connington 32-yard field goal good. Sixteen plays, 76 yards, 6:30 TOP. KU 9, LIU 0.
6:10 — Willis 10-yard run. Connington PAT good. Four plays, 68 yards, 1:59 TOP. KU 16, LIU 0.
3:50 — Jalen Dupree 3-yard run. Connington PAT good. Three plays, 57 yards, 0:48 TOP. KU 23, LIU 0.
0:57 — Nik McMillan 19-yard pass from Isaiah Marshall. Connington PAT good. Five plays, 64 yards, 1:03 TOP. KU 30, LIU 0.
Third quarter
8:13 — Nagy 6-yard pass from Marshall. Connington PAT good. Fifteen plays, 72 yards, 6:47 TOP. KU 37, LIU 0.
Fourth quarter
14:19 — Micah Johnson 8-yard run. Connington PAT good. Ten plays, 67 yards, 4:53 TOP. KU 44, LIU 0.
10:09 — Will Johnson 39-yard field goal good. Eight plays, 53 yards, 4:10 TOP. KU 44, LIU 3.
7:22 — Donald Collier 3-yard run. Six plays, 74 yards, 2:47 TOP. KU 51, LIU 3.
1:56 — Will Johnson 39-yard field goal. Eight plays, 13 yards, 3:54 TOP. KU 51, LIU 6.
