Grades from KU’s 26-7 loss to Baylor and looking ahead to Oklahoma State

By Jesse Newell

Updated September 22, 2018 8:55 PM

Turnovers are great to get, but it’s tough to rely on them week to week.

The Kansas football team saw evidence of this Saturday in a 26-7 road loss to Baylor, coming away with no takeaways after combining for 12 in the previous two games.

Each college football turnover, studies have found, is worth about five points. So while the Jayhawks racked up 30-point head starts the previous two contests, repeating that formula became difficult Saturday because of game script.

After Baylor took an early led, it had no reason to take chances. The Bears could play conservative offensively, content to not make the type of mistake that would let KU back into the game.

This is why it will be so important for KU’s offense to improve moving forward. A “just-don’t-lose-the-game” mentality was good enough to bank two victories, but it’s unlikely to be enough if KU wants to win a future Big 12 game as a betting underdog.

Here are grades for all three units, a highlight from Saturday’s loss and a look ahead to Oklahoma State.

Play of the game

Pooka ... again: On a rough offensive day for KU, true freshman Pooka Williams delivered the team’s top highlight, breaking a tackle before running 72 yards down the right sideline. That set up the Jayhawks’ only touchdown three plays later.

All gas, no brakes for @laapookaaa!#KUfball vs. Baylor on FS1 pic.twitter.com/5JdJYJyuur
— Kansas Football (@KU_Football) September 22, 2018

Grades

Offense: F. There’s really no sugarcoating Saturday’s performance. Against a Baylor defense that ranked 98th nationally in the schedule-adjusted, play-by-play-driven S&P+ metric, KU’s offense mustered just 48 yards and 2.1 yards per play when it mattered most in the first half. The Jayhawks’ offensive line was dominated, and the team once again didn’t get enough consistency at quarterback, cycling through three guys before the game ended. Expect teams to continue to load the box to stop the run — as Baylor did Saturday — until KU’s QBs, linemen and receivers prove they can play better than what they did Saturday.

Defense: D. KU’s defense didn’t get stops during the important moments early. Baylor scored on four of its first five drives, and the Bears’ final raw stats actually appear worse than they were because this was such a low-possession game. Baylor finished at a healthy 6.6 yards per play, with part-time quarterback Charlie Brewer causing problems again with a second straight three-touchdown, no-interception effort against the Jayhawks. Also — mostly because of the game scenario — KU couldn’t replicate the turnover magic it had in previous weeks.

Special teams: C. Not much to report here. Gabriel Rui missed a 48-yard field goal in the first quarter on his only attempt. Kyle Thompson was fine in the punting game, while Osaze Ogbebor forced a fumble on a Baylor punt return, which was a positive even though the Bears were able to retain possession.

Next up

KU will host No. 15 Oklahoma State for homecoming at 11 a.m. on Sept. 29 in what should be a day that will test the loyalties of KU fans. Late Night in the Phog, the official kickoff to the men’s basketball season, is the night before, meaning many supporters might prioritize attending Friday’s festivities over the football game Saturday morning.

The Jayhawks weren’t competitive in last year’s game against Oklahoma State, losing 58-17 in the season finale at Boone Pickens Stadium.