Grading Kansas football on its 16-13 loss against Texas Tech in Big ...

Kansas football suffered a 16-13 upset loss to Texas Tech on Saturday at home in a Big 12 Conference matchup.

Here’s how the No. 18 Jayhawks (7-3, 4-3 in Big 12) graded out from their defeat against the Red Raiders (5-5, 4-3 in Big 12):

Offense: Kansas has to turn to Cole Ballard

Yes, the Jayhawks finished with 13 points. While that doesn’t mean they will come away with a high grade, the performance should be viewed through the lens that injuries forced Kansas to turn to a freshman quarterback — Cole Ballard — who joined the program as a walk-on. Ballard led the Jayhawks on a drive that tied the score at 13-13 late in the fourth quarter, before Texas Tech drove to take the lead and win.

Grade: C

Defense: Jayhawks defenders gave their team a chance

The players and coaches on Kansas’ offense spent much of the game searching for something. Whether or not they found it, their fellow Jayhawks on defense gave them plenty of time to get there. A running game that was problematic in the first half wasn’t as much of an issue in the second. Junior safety O.J. Burroughs also had an interception.

Grade: A-

Special teams: A solid performance

Kansas didn’t leave any points on the field in this area of the game, which is something Texas Tech can’t say. For a game that was as close as it was, that’s critical. The return game was quiet again, but there wasn’t much of a chance for that to be any different.

Grade: A

Coaching: Kansas suffers a heartbreaking loss

Injuries were hampering Kansas at more than just the quarterback position. There was a lot of adversity that came the Jayhawks’ way in the injury department. But while they ultimately came up short, the fact that the Jayhawks had a chance in the fourth quarter says a lot about the effort the team put in.

Grade: B

Overall grade: B

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Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He is the National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas for 2022. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.