KANSAS CITY – Crossing the Kansas-Missouri Border is nothing to be taken lightly when the origin of one’s journey is Lawrence, Kansas. At the border colors of crimson and blue clash with the black and gold of the University of Missouri. The long-standing rivalry between Kansas and Missouri, especially in football, has created the groundwork for many epic battles between the two football programs. On some occasions, the teams looked for a neutral site, and placed almost directly between was the perfect stadium. Arrowhead is the home of the back-to-back defending champions Kansas City Chiefs, but on Saturday served as host for the first of four games for the Kansas Jayhawks this year. It was the first time Kansas had placed in the nationally recognized stadium since a 2011 meeting with the previously mentioned Missouri Tigers. Thirteen years later the program looks completely different. A new head coach, an exciting quarterback, and one of the best running backs in the nation was what set up the bill for Kansas’ return. However, a 1-3 record was plastered all over the KU name after a frustrating start to the season with multiple collapses in the fourth quarter. Viewing the game as a momentum shifter, Kansas came out firing on all cylinders.
The Jayhawks welcomed in the Horned Frogs from Texas Christian University for a matchup that kicked off in the middle of a sunny afternoon in Kansas City. TCU, coming in with a 2-2 record, entered intending to obtain their first BIG12 win on the year following back-to-back losses to UCF and SMU. The Horned Frogs started the game with possession of the ball and drove it to midfield, but an early disaster struck. TCU’s Cam Cook ran the ball past midfield to the KU 46 but then fumbled the ball setting up Kansas with the start they needed to get back on track.
Kansas took complete advantage of their opponents’ fault and drove down the field, needing only four plays to open up the scoreboard. A 15-yard pass from Jalon Daniels floated into the corner near the player’s entrance to the field, but his intended receiver, Luke Grimm, hauled it in. His reception was an excellent showcase of keeping his feet in bounds as he tightroped his feet to keep his body in play and score the first points for the offense.
TCU, following the embarrassing performance from both the defense and the turnover on the opening drive for the offense looked on their second to make an impact. The previous Kansas drive shredded just over two minutes of clock, so TCU wanted to do their best to score in a quick fashion as well. The Horned Frogs needed only five plays to get down the field, finished off by a Josh Hoover pass over the middle of the field to Jack Bech for a 35-yard touchdown. Hoover, who ranked third in FBS in passing yards entering the matchup, found his favorite receiver Bech who leads the conference in receiving yards. Kansas safety OJ Burroughs had an opportunity to take down the talented receiver, but fell to the ground as he approached, following a detrimental trip.
With the score knotted up at seven apiece, Jalon Daniels reentered the field with the intention to follow up their scoring drive with another. This time, Kansas drove the ball in a much more methodical manner, taking four and a half minutes to set up Devin Neal who barreled his way in at the four-minute mark in the first quarter for the go-ahead touchdown. His 2-yard rushing touchdown was his fourth of the year.
The back-and-forth show continued when TCU came out and almost perfectly imitated the previous scoring drive from their opponent, driving down the field in 5 minutes and setting up a three-yard run from Cam Cook who knocked in the second score for the Horned Frogs. The touchdown was his sixth of the year.
The offenses went quiet following the four straight scoring drives. The next score didn’t come until the final minutes of the 2nd quarter. Texas Christian University regained possession of the ball following a punt from KU but proceeded to lose it very quickly. A Josh Hoover pass in the direction of the Kansas sideline floated in the air for more than he would have liked, allowing the eyes of the lurking OJ Burroughs to become hungry. Burroughs jumped the route and picked off the ball and returned it to the TCU six. The interception was exactly what OJ needed to get back on the right foot after surrendering the touchdown earlier in the half. Despite the outstanding field position the Kansas offense decided to pass on second and third down, yielding nothing, forcing a field goal. The three points put Kansas ahead, but a frustrated Kansas offense came to the sideline as they were not able to capitalize off their spectacular starting field position.
TCU smelled their brand new chance to take the lead and with the limitations of under three minutes on the clock an expedited drive would be necessary. The Horned Frogs did not disappoint, driving the ball to the KU 7 before Josh Hoover found his favorite target again for the score with Jack Bech pushing the ball across the goal line. TCU retook the lead with twelve seconds on the clock forcing Kansas to simply opt for a knee and head into the locker room with a four-point deficit.
Daniel Hishaw Jr. didn’t play a snap in his last game at home in the loss to UNLV due to sickness. His return to action in front of the home fans did not disappoint. After totaling over forty yards on the ground in the first half Hishaw came out hungry on Kansas’ first drive of the second half. Hishaw completed the scoring drive by running the ball through the line and breaking off for a low-contact 8-yard touchdown run. The third touchdown of the game for the Kansas offense put KU back on top over the Horned Frogs after milking 6 minutes off the clock.
Josh Hoover, who had been so good in the first quarter of the TCU regular season orchestrated a strong drive down the field but hesitated on another pass throwing it into the hands of Mello Dotson, his second interception thrown of the afternoon. The only issue was the following set of downs where the offense, once again, couldn’t fully capitalize off the turnover. On this occasion, the TCU defense forced a three-and-out regaining possession with 5:35 left on the clock in the 3rd quarter.
The Horned Frogs moved down the field, but an apparent disaster struck again when DJ Warner hit Josh Hoover as he released the ball. The valuable asset bounced around as purple and red jerseys dived for it, but it was the crimson jerseys of KU that prevailed. The referees announced a replay decision and finally accounted that Hoover had control as he threw the ball forward, voiding the fumble recovery. The decision was met by frustrated fan vocalizations that expressed displeasure with the most recent TCU-favorable call in a string of controversial decisions. The defense reappeared on the field and did a spectacular job of forcing pressure on TCU, starting in the trenches. Forcing a fourth down, TCU’s Kyle Lemmermann trotted out to knock in the tying field goal. His kick, which came from the left hash mark, crossed across the goal post and missed to the right by not much more than a foot, keeping Kansas’ lead in place.
The Horned Frog defense forced another punt from the Kansas offense, a punt that was delayed by a false start penalty. Once the kick was finally off, it floated into the hands of TCU’s JP Richardson who proceeded to weave his way through the Kansas’ Special Teams Unit and carry the ball into the end zone. His lead-altering scoring play was an 89-yard punt return touchdown that put TCU back on top, 28-24.
Kansas returned the favor on the opening drive of the fourth quarter. After struggling with multiple collapses in the final quarter, Kansas looked to finally seal away a win in the closing moments. All three KU losses had been one-score games, a stat that is important in the BIG12 because of the equality of talent across the conference. KU started well by shifting into field goal range which allowed Tabor Allen to knock in a field goal that brought KU within one with 12 minutes remaining on the clock.
Moments later, TCU struck again. 45 seconds of game time was all Josh Hoover needed to find Eric McAlister on the KU sideline all alone. Crimson-colored jerseys came flying in to take down the receiver, but schrood running allowed him to break away and take the ball into the end zone for the Horned Frog’s fifth touchdown.
The Kansas offense stalled once again and was forced to punt it away to the TCU offense. The Horned Frogs did everything they needed to do to ice the game away, moving the ball into Kansas territory and eventually setting up a field goal that brought TCU’s lead to eleven.
Kansas’ fourth loss of the season, despite multiple turnovers forced by the defense created even more frustration with the offense that went cold in the fourth quarter. TCU now moves to three wins on the season, getting back in the win column while also grabbing their first BIG12 win, 38-27.
Texas Christian University now prepares for a home matchup against their Texas rival Houston. That matchup will be one under the ‘Friday Night Lights’ at home on October 4th. On the other sideline, Kansas will head to face Arizona State in the first matchup between the two programs. Following that match, which will take place on October 5th, Kansas will have a bye week to prepare for a match against Houston on October 19th.
