Kansas football grades: Analysis of KU Jayhawks’ loss to Oklahoma State Cowboys
The Kansas Jayhawks suffered their second loss of the season on Saturday.
Oklahoma State (4-2, 2-1 Big 12 play) defeated the Jayhawks 39-32 at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater.
The Jayhawks (5-2, 2-2) had plenty of chances to win the game but continued their losing streak to the Cowboys in Stillwater. There were also a pair of calls that frustrated coach Lance Leipold.
Kansas quarterback Jason Bean felt the loss provided an opportunity to learn.
“These days are tough,” said Bean, who started with Jalon Daniels (back injury) out for the fourth time this year. “I feel like a day like this is something we are going to look back on and (will) make us better. It opened our eyes on things we need to correct.”
The Jayhawks will return to action against Oklahoma after an off week.
Here are grades for all three KU units against OSU, plus our Kansas player of the game…
Kansas football grades
Offense: B-
Kansas’ offense played well for most of the game but was nowhere to be found in the fourth quarter.
That coincided with Jason Bean’s stellar first half, in which he passed for 274 yards and four touchdowns. It may have been the best half of Bean’s career.
He also threw two second-half interceptions — which thwarted KU’s ability to put the game away. Saturday felt like the perfect encapsulation of the Bean experience.
Since OSU stacked the box against the run, Bean played about as well as any KU fan could have hoped. Still, those interceptions proved costly.
The Cowboys limited the Jayhawks to 3.1 yards per carry for 90 rushing yards. Overall, KU’s offense was the least of its concerns.
Defense: C+
The Jayhawks’ defense struggled ... against one player in particular.
That player? OSU running back Ollie Gordon. Gordon ended with 168 rushing yards and a rushing score, plus 116 receiving yards and another touchdown. He had over 100 yards from scrimmage in the first quarter.
KU’s defense initially struggled against OSU but got better as the game progressed. The Jayhawks did an admirable job of limiting the Cowboys’ points after both of Bean’s interceptions.
Still, there’s much to improve on. The Cowboys had 554 yards of total offense.
Special teams: D+
Boy, KU’s special teams unit was an absolute disaster.
After being a strength for the Jayhawks throughout the season, KU’s special teams actively hindered Kansas throughout the game.
They missed three point-after-touchdown attempts in the second quarter — two kicks and a two-point conversion. Usually-stellar kicker Seth Keller didn’t make a field goal and had one of his PAT’s blocked.
Punter Damon Greaves, meanwhile, averaged 39 yards on his two attempts.
Player of the game: WR Quentin Skinner
Skinner finished the game with two receptions for 91 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
He made the most of his opportunities, and he made himself available as a deep threat. That included one instance when he helped Bean out of trouble and raced to the sideline into open space.
Bean found Skinner, and he scored on the play.
This story was originally published October 15, 2023 at 9:59 AM.
