What more can you ask for. Kansas seemed to be getting all the breaks early. From the opening coin toss when Baylor mistakenly chose the wind instead of the football, Kansas was finally on the right side of things when it came to good fortune. The move meant the Jayhawks would get the ball to open both halves and after putting together three strong quarters of football Kansas led Baylor 24-3.
Then things went South. Kansas did their best to wind down the clock but Baylor put together 21 points and nearly 300 yards of offense with just over 11 minutes remaining in the game. A late drive by Kansas that would have resulted in a field goal attempt for a potential win was ended by a Baylor interception following a no call on a pass interference.
In overtime the Jayhawks answered Baylor's in initial score with a one play strike to Tim Biere and then Turner Gill elected to go for two and the win. It was the right call, Kansas wasn't even supposed to be in this but the Jordan Webb threw into double coverage and the ball fell incomplete. Baylor wins this one by final score of 31-30.
This is another tough pill to swallow. Kansas was competing extremely well in this one. The defense was locking down the Baylor offense for the first three quarters and with a few good breaks the game had all the makings of an upset on senior day. A win would have done a lot for the players, it would have been a nice way to wrap up the home season during a year where things have seemed to go from bad to worse at times. It just wasn't meant to be and Kansas is left still searching for a Big 12 win.
As for the positives, the Kansas offensive line controlled this one. Darrian Miller ran for 147 yards and the Jayhawk offense totaled 296 yards on the ground. The wildcat attack was effective, Tony Pierson had some big moments and Kansas put together 26 first downs and 43+ minutes of possession. Steven Johnson played well, Bradley McDougald, Keeston Terry and the Kansas defensive backs were solid through three quarters. Even the Kansas defensive front looked strong for most of this game before Baylor finally broke lose in the final 12 minutes.
On the negative side of things the Kansas defense did seem to regress late when they tried to get a little more conservative and Baylor ended up with 500 yards on offense despite being just over 200 after three quarters. The Kansas passing game has also turned atrocious. Receivers are dropping passes and Jordan Webb's decision making just doesn't have the look of an improved player. Perhaps the Kansas offense trending toward more wildcat playcalling is an indication of the staffs lack of confidence in the quarterback position. A tough way to lose and a very good game is ultimately going to be overshadowed by the late letdown and another missed opportunity.