Kansas Jayhawks Football vs Central Michigan Chippewas: A (Semi) Statistical Recap

Good Lord.

What the hell happened?

Central Michigan 45.

Kansas 27.

What? It was supposed to be the other way around, right? Didn’t CMU get the memo? If you almost lose to Rhode Island at home, you can’t go out and beat a D1 team on its home field by three scores.

Unbelievable.

Myth: Hey you guys, Central Michigan is actually a pretty decent team. They beat Oklahoma State last year!

FACT: Central Michigan isn’t a top 90 team in college football per S&P, FEI, and F/+ ratings.

FACT: Central Michigan went 6-7 last year with losses to Virginia (3-9), Kent State (3-9), Miami OH (6-7), and Eastern Michigan (6-7).

FACT: If not for a fluke play and referee error, Central Michigan never would have won the Oklahoma State game and wouldn’t have made a bowl.

FACT: Central Michigan was picked to finish fifth in its six-team division by: The preseason media poll, USA Today, SB Nation, Athlon Sports, HustleBelt.com.

Myth: Give Beaty more time, he inherited a terrible roster! Give coach a chance to build the program!

FACT: This is Beaty’s third year. Most of the guys playing are guys he recruited. The roster is back to 80+ scholarship players. All of the coaching staff are Beaty’s guys.

Myth: The team is just so young, you’ve got to give the players a chance!

FACT: There are indeed only five seniors on the two-deep for offense and defense.

FACT: KU returned four starting offensive linemen, and only lost Quiv Gonzalez at WR and Ke’aun Kinner at RB.

FACT: Kansas has two All-Big 12 caliber defensive linemen that most teams, big boys included, would love to have, including the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.

FACT: The entire Kansas defense has combined for one sack in two games against the two worst teams on its schedule.

FACT: There are four new starters in the secondary, but none of them are freshman. They are either highly regarded Juco recruits or juniors or sophomores brought into the program by Beaty.

Myth: They’re working so hard and trying to get better!

FACT: This team just lost 45-27 to, as detailed above, a bad Central Michigan team.

FACT: David Beaty has three wins in three years.

FACT: The program hasn’t won a road game in eight years (@ UTEP in September of 2009).

They are not getting better.

Central Michigan outgained Kansas 590-470 in total offense while running 24 fewer plays than the Jayhawks did. How does that even happen?

Central Michigan had nine passing plays that went for 20 or more yards.

CMU won the turnover battle, 2-0 (both Bender INTs). Although again, why aren’t plays from special teams counting in this number? Central Michigan muffed a punt that KU recovered. Of course it took KU 9 plays to move the ball just 21 yards and settle for a field goal.

Both teams struggled on third down, but Kansas moreso: CMU 4/12 (33.3%), Kansas 5/18 (27.7%).

Kansas had to go for it on four down FIVE TIMES, but at least they converted four of those.

Opposing quarterbacks are completing 66.2 percent of their throws vs the Kansas defense so far this season.

KU is one of two Big 12 schools without an interception on defense. (The other is Baylor.)

The Good

I didn’t get thrown out of Memorial Stadium. I managed to keep my composure, only making a few snide comments that the people immediately around me heard (and agreed with).

Ok fine, how about this: Kansas only went 3-and-out twice. Happy?

The Bad

Pretty sure the Kansas defense couldn’t stop Haskell right now (and they haven’t fielded a team since 2015). Consistently blowing coverages, getting out-schemed along the line of scrimmage, and failing to pressure the opposing quarterback at all is absolutely indefensible with the talent KU has on the defensive line.

The Ugly

Having flashbacks to Turner Gill during the following sequence: long official review, line up for field goal, false start, timeout, kick field goal.

Sigh.

The Stats

Peyton Bender went 32/62 (51.6%) for 323 yards, 0 TDs, and 2 INTs. He was sacked twice and showed zero pocket presence. I am officially all aboard #TeamCarter.

Carter Stanley wore a helmet and stood on the sideline and twiddled his thumbs while Bender kept throwing the ball toward white jerseys. Why?

Dom Williams was KU’s lone bright spot on offense. The speedy freshman RB picked up 67 yards on 18 carries with 2 TDs. D-Will also caught five passes for 42 yards. Moar Dom Williams please.

Deron Thompson added 50 yards on 10 carries, so not a bad day by him either.

Quan Hampton caught six balls for 67 yards.

Ryan Schadler added six receptions for 60 yards, plus a 33-yard touchdown run.

Ben Johnson had seven catches for 57 yards.

Chase Harrell added 39 yards on 3 catches.

Jeremiah Booker picked up just 37 yards on two receptions.

We had a Daylon Charlot sighting! One reception for zero yards.

Joe Dineen just keeps tackling people, with 9 tackles and 2.5 TFL. He was also credited with a QB hurry.

Derrick Neal also had 9 tackles. Since he’s the nickelback, that’s, uh, not good.

Mike Lee added 7 stops.

Dorance Armstrong had 5 tackles and 1.5 TFL.

Daniel Wise had 3 tackles and 1 TFL, and a really bad roughing the passer penalty (he got away with one earlier in the game that wasn’t called as well).

Cole Moos punted four times for 42.2 yard average.

Gabriel Rui went 2/3 on field goals, nailing 23 and 33 yards but missing from 37.