Jayhawks stun No. 6 Sooners to add chaos to national picture

LAWRENCE, Kan. — After surviving against Central Florida the week before, No.6 Oklahoma traveled to face the Kansas Jayhawks on a chilly, damp Saturday at David Booth Memorial Stadium for a match-up against a team 0-for-18 in their last 18 games against the Sooners.

However, statistics mean nothing when you get on the field and play. On a cold, rainy day, the Jayhawks knocked off Oklahoma 38-33 — a win against their highest-ranked opponent since knocking off Virginia Tech in the 2008 Orange Bowl.

At kickoff, it was cold and sunny, but within a few minutes along came the rain. The teams also took about a 55-minute break due to lightning in the first half.

Trailing 33-32, Kansas quarterback Jason Bean completed a critical fourthdown pass on KU’s final drive, and Devin Neal ran in for the touchdown to help the Jayhawks come away with one of the biggest wins ever.

The Jayhawks (6-2 overall, 3-2 in Big 12 play) jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead when Mello Dotson picked off a Dillon Gabriel pass and returned it 37 yards for the touchdown.

OU turned it over on downs next possession, and the Jayhawks used a 10-play, 79-yard drive for a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter. Gabriel finished off a 75-yard drive with a 7-yard run to get the Sooners (7-1, 4-1) within 14-7. After the Sooner defense forced a three-and-out, OU tied the game on a 2-yard run by Tawee Walker at 6:05 left in the first half. OU took advantage of a fumble on the kickoff return as Gabriel ran in from nine yards out, and the Sooners enjoyed a 21-14 lead. The Jayhawks added a field goal to cut the OU lead to 21-17 at halftime.

The two teams traded scored throughout much of the second half, but Kansas missed a field goal and OU picked off Bean with just 2:29 left to play and the Sooners holding on to a 33-32 lead.

With a chance to gain a first down and run out the clock, the Sooners ran three straight plays up the middle for a total of three yards and had to punt.

Kansas had to use their timeouts on defense, but the Jayhawks had the ball back with still 2:05 left to play. Bean led the team down the field for the go-ahead touchdown, with the big play a 37-yard pass to Lawrence Arnold on fourth-and-6 at the OU 46 to set up Neal for the game winner.

The Sooners managed to get to the Kansas 23, but one final pass by Gabriel fell incomplete as time expired.

OU coach Brent Venables thought this one was a tough loss.

“As I told them, we’re not going to be defined by any one win or any loss,” he said. “We have a lot still in front of us, but this one hurts. It stings.”

Gabriel finished 14-of-19 for 171 yards and three rushing touchdowns while Walker had 23 carries for 146 yards on the ground for the Sooners.