LUBBOCK, Texas — In search of their first road win since 2009, the Kansas Jayhawks came up short again, falling 41-34 in double overtime to the 25th-ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders on Saturday at Jones AT&T Stadium.
The Jayhawks (1-9, 0-7 Big 12) had the ball first in OT, and took a 34-27 lead on a five-yard touchdown pass from freshman quarterback Michael Cummings to junior running back James Sims.
The Red Raiders (7-3, 4-3 Big 12) tied it up at 34-34 with a one-yd rushing TD by senior RB Eric Stephens Jr. to send the game to 2 OT. Stephens Jr. threw a three-yd gadget TD pass to senior wide receiver Darrin Moore to go up 41-34. KU went three and out to end the game.
Texas Tech senior QB Seth Doege led his team on a 75-yd drive to open the game, finding Leon Mackey for a nine-yard TD pass to take a 7-0 lead. KU answered with a 63-yd drive, capped with a six-yd TD run by Sims.
Doege added a pair of TD passes within the span of three minutes to give the Red Raiders a 21-7 lead in the second quarter. Cummings threw a 10-yd TD pass to sophomore RB Brandon Bourbon to cut the lead to 21-14. Tech led 21-17 at halftime.
These two teams displayed opposite identities on offense, especially in the first half. Kansas racked up 175 rushing yards in the first half, while Texas Tech rushed for a total of four yards. Tech picked apart KU’s secondary however, passing for 235 yards in the first half alone, while KU managed just 13 yards through the air.
In the second half, KU’s defense held the Red Raiders to a pair of field goals to keep the game within reach. Sophomore RB Tony Pierson broke off a 69-yd run to set up a 3-yd rushing TD by Sims in the fourth quarter. KU narrowed the gap to 27-24 with 8:59 to play.
KU’s defense continued to play strong, and kicker Nick Prolago nailed a 33-yd FG to tie the game at 27-27 with :41 seconds to play. Texas Tech sophomore kicker Ryan Bustin missed a 41-yd FG, and the game went to overtime.
The Jayhawks host the Iowa State Cyclones next Saturday night for their last home game of the season.
