‘The only thing they hear is touchdown’: How KU’s running backs dominated OSU
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Kansas executed a 10-play rushing drive in Q4, culminating in Williams' 5-yard touchdown.
- KU totaled 232 rushing yards and three touchdowns, with 154 yards in second half.
- Healthier backfield and shared carries eased Daniels' load and bolstered bowl chances.
Kansas Jayhawks quarterback Jalon Daniels experienced a potential first on Saturday against Oklahoma State.
At the very least, he couldn’t remember the last time it’d happened in his playing career.
For one drive in the fourth quarter, KU ran the ball 10 straight times. The ball carrier was running back Leshon Williams. No other player ran or caught the ball during that entire drive.
The Jayhawks’ march ended with Williams scoring a 5-yard rushing touchdown that put Kansas up 38-14.
The Jayhawks would go onto win 38-21, with that particular drive illustrating the dominance of Kansas’ ground game Saturday. KU rushed for 232 yards and three touchdowns against the Pokes.
“The more and more I got every single play-call, I’m like, ‘OK, bet. Let’s go,’” Daniels said.
Williams didn’t complain, either.
“That’s one thing about those running backs, as soon as they hear the chance to be able to get the ball, they’re eager to be able to run the ball,” Daniels said. “No matter if they are tired or not. The only thing they hear in their head is a touchdown.”
KU’s run game is a significant reason the Jayhawks pulled away after leading by just three points, 10-7, at halftime. The Jayhawks piled up 154 rushing yards in the second half.
Williams finished the day with 14 carries for 77 yards and a touchdown. Fellow running back Daniel Hishaw also had 14 carries, gaining 65 yards and scoring twice.
It’s been rare to see such dominance from KU’s run game, especially in 2025. The Jayhawks’ rushing attack has struggled this season, and the duo of Hishaw and Williams has rarely been healthy at the same time.
KU coach Lance Leipold indicated that getting both backs heavily involved against OSU was “extremly important.”
“It’s the most healthy the two of them have been since the opening game of the season,” Leipold said. “To have them both healthy going down this final stretch was very important to us.
“You can see with both — they complement each other. They’re very physical runners with good vision and it’s hard to bring them down on first contact. The spark that both of them gave us was huge today ...”
As Leipold noted, it’s difficult to bring either man down. Hishaw illustrated that on his first TD, a 3-yard run. He bounced off two or three defenders before crossing the plane.
KU will need that level of effort nonstop in its next three games.
The Jayhawks (5-4, 3-3 Big 12) now sit just one win from bowl eligibility. Having their top two running backs healthy should take some of the offensive burden off Daniels’ shoulders.
“We’re at the tail end of the season, so to be able to have performance like that will just allow them to keep on going about things the way that they’ve been going about it,” Daniels said. “I think that it’s just going to be able to show the consistency that we can have.”
This story was originally published November 1, 2025 at 8:18 PM.
