UNLV went on a chaotic 9:31 touchdown drive in the fourth quarter to knock off Kansas 23-20 at Children's Mercy Park, dropping the Jayhawks record to 1-2 on the season. Kansas came out strong, but struggled on offense throughout a majority of the second half, with Jalon Daniels throwing two more interceptions.
First quarter
Kansas came out on defense and instantly forced a three-and-out from UNLV. Mello Dotson broke up a deep ball, and JB Brown stuffed a QB draw on third down to give the Jayhawks the ball.
The offense kept things simple, but Kansas put together an effective drive (12 plays, 81 yards, 7:16 TOP). With Daniel Hishaw missing the game due to an illness, a heavy diet of Devin Neal runs and quick-hitting passes helped the Jayhawks drive down the field. Jalon Daniels kept the ball on a speed option, running for a 11-yard touchdown to give Kansas an early 7-0 lead.
UNLV settled in on offense but left points on the table. Jai'Den Thomas found some success on the ground and Matthew Sluka found Jaden Bradley for a 31-yard pickup. The Rebels were forced to settle for a field goal after a delay of game on third down pushed them back, where they were unable to pick up a conversion.
A hold on the kickoff set the Jayhawks up inside their own ten-yard line, but Neal gave Kansas some breathing room, as Kansas got to the 35 by the end of the quarter.
Second quarter
Kansas was able to finish off the drive with a touchdown. Neal kept the offense churning on the ground, and Daniels once again used his legs, keeping it on a speed option again for a 33-yard touchdown run to extend the Jayhawks' lead to 14-3.
The Rebels looked to answer and were able to drive down the field before the Kansas defense held strong in the red zone. UNLV used seven straight runs, a majority from Sluka. On third-and-seven from the 11, the Jayhawks stuffed the run from Sluka to force a field goal. Caden Chittenden hit a 27-yarder to cut the lead to 14-6.
Neal showed off his versatility, catching a checkdown and running into wide-open space to pick up 33 to kick off the drive. A 19-yard gain from Neal set the Jayhawks up in UNLV territory but the drive stalled. Tabor Allen nailed a 35-yard field goal to push Kansas' lead to 17-6.
Kansas forced a quick third down, but Sluka ran for a 46-yard pickup to keep the drive alive. The Jayhawks got pressure home, with Jereme Robinson picking up a sack and forcing an incompletion to force a long field goal attempt. Chittenden missed a 50-yarder, giving Kansas the ball back at its 33 with 1:45 to play.
The Jayhawks again failed to execute an effective two-minute drill, similar to last week's issues against Illinois. After a Neal broke off a 24-yard run, Daniels threw an interception where he mistimed hitting Quentin Skinner. Jalen Catalon returned the pick 46 yards, setting up the Rebels with a chance to score.
UNLV capitalized at the end of the half, as Sluka hit Jai'Den Thomas for a 27-yard touchdown catch. After having a chance to add points going into halftime, Kansas saw itself up only 17-13.
Third quarter
Kansas could not get off to a strong start in the second half as it tried to rebuild momentum. After going three-and-out on its first drive, Daniels threw another interception, with UNLV LB Jackson Woodard returning it inside Kansas' five.
However, the defense held fast and forced another field goal. Kansas' defensive tackles continued to show out, with Tommy Dunn and Caleb Taylor stuffing the run on first and second down. The Jayhawks limited UNLV to another field goal, cutting the lead to 17-16.
Kansas' offensive struggles compounded, going on another three-and-out. The Children's Mercy Park crow started to get restless, with the Jayhawks searching for any signs of life on offense.
The Jayhawks defense continued to try and will Kansas to victory, picking up stops while the offense remained stagnant.
Kansas picked up its first first down of the second half near the tail end of the third, with Daniels getting time in the Jayhawks' end zone and finding Sevion Morrison for an 18-yard pick up.
Fourth quarter
Daniels picked up a crucial third-down conversion to Trevor Kardell to open the fourth quarter. The Jayhawks finally showed some signs of life on offense, finding success on the ground and the air to get into the red zone. However, going backwards on a 2nd-and-1 screen and an incompletion on third down forced Kansas to settle for three. Allen made a 40-yarder to put the score at 20-16 Kansas.
UNLV went on a long drive (9:31) where just about everything that could go wrong for Kansas did. OJ Burroughs nearly picked off Sluka, Robinson forced a fumble that the Jayhawks couldn't fall on, and penalties and confusion with down and distance kept the Rebels on the field for over 9 minutes. Eventually, Kylin James rushed it in on a 4th-and-goal from the one to give UNLV a 23-20 lead with 1:51 to play.
Kansas had an opportunity to win the game, but a chop blocked pushed the Jayhawks back to try a 4th-and-15 with about a minute to play and no timeouts. Daniels was sacked, and UNLV kneeled out the clock.
