Kansas Falls to UNLV, 23-20 on Friday Night

Game Recap: Football | 9/13/2024 9:46:00 PM

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KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Kansas was edged by UNLV 23-20 on Friday night at Children's Mercy Park in front of a capacity crowd of 21,493. UNLV scored a go-ahead touchdown on a fourth-and-goal with 1:51 remaining in the fourth quarter.

After holding UNLV to a three-and-out on the game's opening drive, Kansas took over on its own 19-yard line and marched 81 yards on 12 plays capped off by an 11-yard touchdown run by redshirt junior quarterback Jalon Daniels to go up 7-0. Daniels accounted for 58 of the 81 yards on the drive with 19 yards rushing and 39 yards passing going 4-for-5 in the air. Daniels' touchdown was his first rushing touchdown of the season and 14th of his career. 

UNLV responded with a 55-yard drive that ended with a 38-yard field goal. Kansas would lead UNLV 7-3 at the end of the first quarter.

On its next possession Kansas would go up 14-3 on a Daniels 33-yard touchdown run on an option to the right side. Kansas' scoring drive was 94 yards in eight plays. Daniels would convert a 3rd-and-4 to senior tight end Trevor Kardell for 18 yards the play before his 33-yard jaunt. 

UNLV kept the scoring going on its next drive making a 27-yard field goal to make the score 14-6 in favor of KU with 6:19 before halftime. 

On Kansas' first play of the following drive, Daniels connected with Neal on a 33-yard pass play. Two plays later, Neal blasted up the middle for 20 yards, but the drive would stall at the UNLV 28-yard line. KU senior kicker Tabor Allen would give the Jayhawks a 17-6 lead after making a 35-yard field goal with 3:17 to play in the second quarter. 

On the ensuing Kansa drive, UNLV intercepted a Daniels pass and scored a touchdown two plays later as the clock expired, giving KU a 17-13 lead at halftime. 

UNLV would cut the lead to 17-16 on a 23-yard field goal that started on a drive that started at the KU 4-yard line following an interception. KU pushed UNLV back one yard on the drive to hold UNLV to a field goal. 

UNLV controlled the field position for most of the third quarter and pinned KU on its own 2-yard line with 2:06 remaining in the quarter. KU would then mount a 75-yard drive in 13 plays that ended with an Allen 41-yard field goal to make the score 20-16 with 11:22 remaining in the contest. On its first third down of the drive Daniels threw a 10-yard completion to redshirt junior Sevion Morrison to keep the drive going. Daniels then connected with senior wide receiver Lawrence Arnold on a 29-yard reception and Neal would add rushes of six and nine yards. 

Rebel Kylin James capped off the UNLV game-winning drive with a one-yard rush. UNLV covered 75 yards in 18 plays over 9:22 on its final drive.

Devin Neal led the way offensively for Kansas with 120 yards on the ground, his third-straight 100-plus yard rushing game of the season. Kansas outgained UNLV 352-267 in total offense. 

With the loss, Kansas fell to 1-2 on the season, while UNLV remained undefeated with a 3-0 record. 

UP NEXT Kansas opens its Big 12 Conference schedule when the Jayhawks travel to Morgantown, West Virginia, to take on the West Virginia Mountaineers on Saturday, Sept. 21 at 11 a.m. CT. The game will air on ESPN2.