Kansas Knocks Off No. 6 Oklahoma 38-33 to Become Bowl Eligible

Via Kansas Athletics

LAWRENCE, Kan. – On Homecoming in front of a sellout crowd inside of David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, the Kansas Jayhawks took down the No. 6-ranked Oklahoma Sooners 38-33. Kansas improved to 5-0 at home this season and became bowl eligible for the second consecutive year.

Quarterback Jason Bean led a 7-play, 80-yard drive that ended with a 9-yard touchdown run by Devin Neal to give the Jayhawks a 38-33 lead. On the final play of the game, Kansas deflected the ball out of the end zone to complete the victory and give Kansas its first win over Oklahoma since 1997.

With the win, Kansas improved to 6-2 on the season and 3-2 in conference play, while Oklahoma suffered its first loss of the season to drop them to 7-1 overall and 4-1 in Big 12 play.

Mello Dotson got the scoring started for Kansas by jumping a Dillon Gabriel pass, resulting in a 37-yard interception return for a touchdown. The interception was Dotson’s fifth of his career including his first return for a touchdown. The interception return for a touchdown was Kansas’ third defensive touchdown of the season.

On Kansas’ next defensive possession, the Jayhawks were backed up in their own territory and stopped Oklahoma’s offense on a 4th-and-3 try courtesy of a 1-yard sack by Austin Booker. The sack gave the ball back to Kansas for an opportunity to go up by two scores.

The Jayhawks would take advantage of the opportunity, marching down the field on a 10-play, 79-yard drive that was capped off by a 9-yard touchdown rush by Daniel Hishaw Jr. 

Oklahoma responded with a 10-play drive of their own, as the Sooners went 79 yards with an 8-yard touchdown rush by Gabriel to cap the drive off. Kansas led 14-7 with 10:15 remaining in the first half.

With 7:50 remaining before the half, play was stopped due to weather. The weather delay lasted for 58 minutes and was followed by two Oklahoma touchdowns as the Sooners took a 21-14 lead, their first of the day. Kansas ended the half with a 12-play, 79-yard drive that ended with a 24-yard field goal from Seth Keller that made it 21-17 at halftime. 

Keller got the Jayhawks on the board to start the second half with a 29-yard field goal that was set up by a 39-yard pass from Bean to Mason Fairchild. The field goal made the score 21-20 in favor of Oklahoma with 4:01 remaining in the third quarter.

On the ensuing Oklahoma possession, JB Brown forced Oklahoma’s Tawee Walker to fumble, which Brown would also recover. One play later, Bean took off on a 38-yard run for a Kansas touchdown to give them the lead, 26-21.

Oklahoma would use a seven-play, 75-yard drive to retake the lead at 27-26 with 35 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

Hishaw found the endzone for the second time on a 1-yard touchdown rush. The touchdown came following three personal foul penalties on Oklahoma, which was capped off by the Hishaw touchdown. The pair of touchdowns were Hishaw’s 13th and 14th touchdowns over the last 13 games.

It wouldn’t take long for Kansas to get the ball back, as on the following kickoff, Oklahoma’s Marcus Stripling muffed the return, which was recovered by Cornell Wheeler at the Sooners’ 25-yard line. Kansas would come up empty on a 41-yard field goal attempt by Keller.

Oklahoma was forced to punt on the next possession, but the Sooners were able to get the ball back quickly as Billy Bowman intercepted Bean and returned the ball to the Kansas 14-yard line. Gabriel scored a touchdown four plays later on a 1-yard rush. A failed two-point conversion made the score at 33-32 in favor of Oklahoma.

The next Kansas possession also finished with an interception. Oklahoma’s Ethan Downs picked off Bean to end the Kansas drive. The Sooners were unable to do anything on their possession and punted the ball back to Kansas.

Kansas took over with the ball at the 20-yard line following a touchback. With Kansas facing a 4th-and-6, Bean completed a 37-yard pass to Lawrence Arnold to put the ball at the Oklahoma 9-yard line with 58 seconds remaining in the game. Neal punched it in the end zone on the next play to give Kansas a 38-33 lead. 

Oklahoma had one final opportunity and got the ball down to the Kansas 23-yard line. On the final play, Gabriel through a pass into the end zone that was deflected out of bounds by Kansas’ Kwinton Lassiter.

The Jayhawks will head back on the road next week as they travel to Ames, Iowa to take on the Iowa State Cyclones on Saturday, Nov. 4.