KU Jayhawks complete fourth-quarter rally for 17-14 win over South Dakota in opener
Kansas football won its first game under Lance Leipold.
If you’re a Jayhawks fan, maybe it’s best to just stop there. The final score was 17-14. KU is 1-0.
Go on with your weekend. No need to read anymore.
All right ... still there?
It’s hard to know which direction to go with this one then.
The Jayhawks, most of the night, did not look dominant against a non-ranked FCS foe at home. KU’s offensive line was overmatched. KU couldn’t run. Newly minted starting quarterback Jason Bean struggled with accuracy.
And suddenly, with 5 minutes, 13 seconds left in the fourth quarter following a touchdown run by South Dakota’s Travis Theis, KU trailed 14-10 needing to go the length of the field to win it.
What do you know ... that’s just what the Jayhawks did.
It wasn’t without heart-stopping moments. KU had a fourth-and 10 with 3:40 left, when Bean connected with tight end Mason Fairchild for 20 yards.
Bean later had to scramble on a desperation third-and-9, but as he slid, he was targeted by South Dakota’s Myles Harden, who was ejected while giving the Jayhawks a crucial first down.
Two plays later, Bean found Lawrence Arnold for a 16-yard score with 1:10 left, as KU regained the lead at 17-14.
South Dakota went nowhere on the next possession, and after the final incompletion, an assistant coach and player lifted Leipold into the air, celebrating his first victory with the school. After the kneel-down, KU’s students stormed the field to celebrate with the players, marking the team’s first win since Oct. 26, 2019.
The first half did not start out pretty ... especially for the Jayhawks offense.
KU went three-and-out on its first four possessions. At the end of the first quarter, the Jayhawks had more penalty yards (20) than total yards (18).
There were also too many self-inflicted mistakes — the same type that Leipold vowed his team would strive at all costs to avoid.
On one third-and-short early, KU had consecutive false-start penalties, then whiffed on a block up front as Bean was swallowed up for a 4-yard loss. The next play, the Jayhawks had an illegal motion penalty when punting it away.
Another gaffe came defensively, as on a third-and-5, KU cornerback Jacobee Bryant ran across the line of scrimmage to jam a South Dakota receiver ... before the ball was snapped. That gave the Coyotes a free first down.
Still — outside that mistake — KU’s defense held strong early. The Jayhawks defense allowed just 3 yards per play in the first half, with Kyron Johnson contributing a sack and true freshman safety O.J. Burroughs flashing with a crucial pass breakup.
The Jayhawks finally broke through less than a minute before intermission. Bean found Arnold for an 8-yard strike that gave KU a 7-0 halftime lead.
KU plays at Coastal Carolina at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 10.
This story was originally published September 3, 2021 at 10:54 PM.
