Kansas Jayhawks falter in final moments, fall to Arizona: Here are the takeaways
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- KU loses late to Arizona on a 24-yard TD with 39 seconds left, falls to 5-5.
- Missed 30-yard field goal and a controversial holding call shifted momentum away.
- KU must beat Iowa State or Utah to reach six wins and secure bowl eligibility.
The Kansas Jayhawks will have to wait at least two more weeks to gain bowl eligibility this season.
Arizona scored on a 24-yard run by Quincy Craig with just 39 seconds to play to complete a comeback from a 10-point deficit and upend the Jayhawks 24-20 on Saturday in Tucson, Arizona.
The TD run capped an eight-play, 80-yard drive that followed a rare missed field goal by Laith Marjan that would have given KU a late six-point lead.
The loss dropped the Jayhawks to 5-5 overall and 3-4 in the Big 12. It takes six victories to gain bowl eligibility, meaning KU must either beat Iowa State on the road or Utah in the season finale in Lawrence to qualify for a bowl.
Noah Fifita completed 16 of 31 passes for 158 yards and two touchdowns, helping Arizona improve to 6-3 overall and 3-3 in conference play. Indeed the Wildcats by topping the Jayhawks qualified for a bowl game.
The Wildcats took advantage of a rare missed 30-yard Marjan kick with 2:39 left and KU up by three points. The Jayhawks opted to kick on fourth-and-2 from the 11-yard line.
Arizona went on to score the late TD and bag the victory. KU had a final possession after Arizona’s score. But Jalon Daniels’ Hail Mary pass from KU’s 47 on the final play of the game fell incomplete.
This loss had to be especially tough for the Jayhawks, considering a controversial holding call on KU changed the momentum of the game.
KU corner Jalen Todd was called for the huge penalty in the closing minutes of the first half.
Todd was called for holding, negating a 75-yard interception return for a score by sophomore defensive end Leroy Harris. That Harris TD would have given KU a 24-7 lead. Instead, Arizona scored right before half and it was 17-14 KU at the break.
The ESPN2 sideline reporter indicated Leipold called it a “terrible call” and in fact spoke with the officials before heading into the locker room at halftime.
Here are some takeaways from KU’s loss to the Wildcats...
The road has been rocky for KU
The 2025 Jayhawks fell to 1-3 outside of David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. KU has lost at Texas Tech (42-17), Missouri (42-31) and Arizona and defeated UCF (27-20).
KU still has a road game to play at Iowa State. The Jayhawks are 8-19 in road games in five seasons under Leipold.
Jalen Todd turns in highlight plays, called for holding on TD
KU corner Jalen Todd had a pair of spectacular plays on defense and three tackles total in the first half. The sophomore from Detroit came off the edge to force a Fifita fumble. Todd blitzed and hit Fifita so hard the ball popped loose and sailed out of bounds. In the final minutes of the half, Todd broke up a pass in the end zone.
Todd also had a huge sack in the fourth quarter. He, D.J. Withers and Bangalla Kamara pressured Fifita on a third-and-3 call at the Arizona 46. Todd was credited with the sack and Arizona was forced to punt with KU leading by three.
Tough reversal
KU, up by three points, had a near interception in the fourth quarter. Defensive back Taylor Davis picked off a pass at the Arizona 37. However, after a review it was ruled Davis did not make the catch. The ruling denied KU great field position and an opportunity to expand its 17-14 lead.
Dak Brinkley shows pass rushing ability
KU freshman defensive end Dak Brinkley recorded the first two sacks of his college career on back-to-back plays in the second quarter.
First, the 6-foot-3, 245-pound native of Katy, Texas, recorded a 10-yard sack of quarterback Fifita. Then he and Withers combined on a 7-yard sack of Fifita.
Brinkley is the son of Jasper Brinkley, who played in the NFL seven seasons, and Kellie Brinkley, who won the bronze medal in the 110 hurdles in the 2012 Olympics. He chose Kansas over offers from Oklahoma, Missouri, Oregon, Texas, Kansas State and others.
Emmanuel Henderson returns to form
Senior receiver Emmanuel Henderson, who hadn’t scored a touchdown since the Cincinnati game on Sept. 27, hauled in a 24-yard pass reception for a score from Daniels. It gave KU a 14-7 lead with 11:17 left in the second quarter. Henderson was wide open on a pattern to the right side of the end zone.
Also on the TD drive, Daniels completed a pair of 22-yard passes, one to Cam Pickett and one to Boden Groen.
Laith Marjan finally misses
Kicker Laith Marjan missed a 30-yard field goal with 2:39 left and KU up by three points. It was his first miss after 14 makes this season, which is a KU record.
Marjan converted a 46-yard field goal to give KU a 17-7 lead with 4:15 left in the second quarter. He also drilled a 50-yard field goal to give the Jayhawks a 20-17 lead in the third quarter. He had a 55-yarder versus Texas Tech earlier this season.
The Raleigh, North Carolina native is a transfer from South Alabama.
KU elected to take a five-yard delay penalty in the fourth quarter, then punt from the Arizona 45, instead of trying for a 57-yard field goal while up three. The Jayhawks had a fourth-and-5 before taking the penalty.
This story was originally published November 8, 2025 at 6:33 PM.
