Final, KU wins 19-14

KU escaped with its second straight Big 12 road win, as Todd Reesing led KU in both passing and rushing. He was 20-of-29 for 152 yards and a touchdown. He had 84 yards on seven carries, including a huge 53-yard highlight run in the first half to set up KU’s first points of the game.

Cody Hawkins finished by going 27-of-45 for 279 yards and two touchdowns, but had two costly picks.

Marcus Henry was KU’s leading receiver with five catches for 79 yards. Tyson DeVree led Colorado with 88 yards on seven grabs.

KU’s run defense was again big, holding Hugh Charles to 39 yards on just 11 carries. Jake Sharp had 52 yards on 15 carries with a touchdown for KU.

The 7-0 (3-0) Jayhawks take on Texas A&M next Saturday in College Station at 6 p.m. on ESPN2.

1:46, fourth quarter, KU leads 19-14

Jeff Wheeler sacked Cody Hawkins on first down, but was hurt on the play after taking away five yards from Colorado. Hawkins was taken down again on second down, leaving Colorado with a third-and-18. The Buffs then used their final timeout of the game with 1:58 to play.

Hawkins was incomplete on third down over the middle, and then again down the sideline on fourth, giving KU the ball to run the clock out with 1:46 to go.

2:16, fourth quarter, KU leads 19-14

KU took over at its own 18-yard line in front of a raucous crowd with less than four minutes to play.

On first down, Jake Sharp lost three yards going to the right, and Colorado called its second timeout of the half.

On second down, flushed backwards, Todd Reesing fluttered a dangerous pass to his left which wound up out of bounds, setting up a third-and-13 in the noisier end of the stadium.

Reesing wound up taking the ball up the middle on what looked like a called quarterback run. He picked up six yards and Kyle Tucker came in for his fourth punt of the game.

Tucker boomed a beauty which KU stopped at the Colorado 34, but a flag came in for holding against the Jayhawks. The penalty was accepted, forcing Tucker to boot it again.

This time, with the ball at his own 10, Tucker had to punt out of his own end zone. This kick had to be redone as well, due to an illegal substitution against Colorado.

On the third try, Tucker got it off but was hit afterwards. There was no flag, and Colorado took over at its own 42 with 2:16 to go.

3:42, fourth quarter, KU leads 19-14

On Colorado’s first play, Cody Hawkins struck Scotty McKnight for an eight-yard gain. KU followed it with its second timeout of the second half.

After the break, Hawkins hit Byron Ellis for a two-yard gain and barely enough for a first down.

Hawkins threw a risky floater on first down which fell incomplete and was nearly picked off. On second-and-10, a few boos could be heard after CU decided to run the ball at its own 30 with less than six minutes remaining.

Tyson DeVree caught a bullet from Hawkins over the middle on third-and-long to give him a 16-yard gain and set the ball up right at midfield.

Kendrick Celestine was whistled for a delay a false start before teh first down play. He gained it back on a short reception to set up second-and-10.

Tyson DeVree caught yet another pass after a 30-second Colorado timeout to put the ball at the KU 32-yard line.

After a long incompletion inside the five-yard line, Hawkins went deep again, and hit on a deep ball to Patrick Williams for Patrick Williams, who was covered by Darrell Stuckey. The play set up first-and-goal from the KU five-yard line.

Hawkins flipped a five-yard pass to Byron Ellis, who slipped from Mike Rivera’s grip and dove into the end zone for a five-yard touchdown with 3:42 to play and KU leading 19-14.

7:00, fourth quarter, KU leads 19-7

KU went right to Brandon McAnderson to start grinding out the clock. He picked up 14 yards on first down and one yard on his second tote of the drive. On a third straight carry, he picked up three yards to set up a big third-and-six.

After a great deal of time to throw the ball given by the offensive line, Reesing floated a ball deep for Marcus Henry, but it was right out of the senior wideout’s reach. It brought Kyle Tucker in for the third time to punt.

The ball slipped into the end zone, giving CU the ball with 7:00 to play, down two scores at its own 20-yard line.

8:58, fourth quarter, KU leads 19-7

Josh Smith had a 28-yard reception on first down to put Colorado immediately in KU territory. On the next play, a Cody Hawkins pass was tipped at the line of scrimmage, and a second down toss was nearly picked, but broken up, by Aqib Talib – his second pass breakup of the game.

Byron Ellis had a third-and-10 carry to pick up half of the yardage needed, leaving Colorado a fourth-and-five at the KU 42-yard line.

The fourth down play fell apart, as Joe Mortensen blew up Hawkins immediately after throwing the ball, and Kendrick Harper broke up the weak pass over the middle.

KU got the ball back with 8:58 to go at its own 42.

10:23, fourth quarter, KU leads 19-7

On the first play out of the timeout, Reesing rolled straight left with the snap, bringing the entire defense with him. It left Derek Fine going right all by his lonesome and wide open for a four-yard touchdown catch.

The two-point run by Todd Reesing was stuffed short by Jordon Dizon, leaving KU up 19-7.

10:27, fourth quarter, KU leads 13-7

Todd Reesing again had a big third down run, picking up 17 yards after scrambling left, sprung by a big Anthony Collins block.

Brandon McAnderson kept the ball moving on the ground with a 12-yard gain to midfield and the drive’s third first down.

On second-and-10, Reesing flipped another short pass to Sharp, this time collecting seven yards and setting up third-and-three.

On the play, a beautiful throw by Todd Reesing went for 17 yards to the right into the waiting arms of Dexton Fields. From the Colorado 26 on the next snap, Sharp scrapped away for four more yards.

Sharp took the next carry even deeper into CU territory, plugging away for 10 more yards down to the Buffaloes’ 12-yard line.

KU went to the shovel for the fifth time with its fifth first down of the drive, and this time it backfired with a five-yard loss by Jake Sharp, who was hit immediately after touching it.

Marcus Henry made yet another tough catch over the middle, picking up 13 yards and setting up a third-and-two from the Colorado four-yard line.

KU took a timeout before the play.

End of third quarter, KU leads 13-7

A pair of Jake Sharp runs up the middle set KU up with third-and-four at its own 12-yard line.

Kerry Meier caught a zinger in the slot from Reesing for an eight-yard gain to give the Jayhawk offense a little more breathing room and a fresh set of downs.

KU went to the shovel pass for the fourth time in the game, this time with Jake Sharp picking up a yard on the dump up the middle.

After a no-gain for Jake Sharp on a second down run, it drew the third quarter clock to zero, with KU facing third-and-nine at its own 21.

2:31, third quarter, KU leads 13-7

Colorado went to DeVree on first down and Hugh Charles then went for a nice gainer to the right for a first down, putting the ball at the Colorado 36.

Charles got the call again on first down, but Aqib Talib and John Larson rode him down for a one-yard loss, setting up second-and-11.

On the second down play, Cody Crawford found a nice pocket in the middle of the field for a 21-yard gain into KU territory at the 44.

Hawkins went to Josh Smith on first down, who was wrapped up for a five-yard gain on a nice open-field tackle by Chris Harris. On second down, CU faked an end-around, and Demetrius Sumler went up the middle for no gain, setting up third-and-five.

Colorado’s drive stalled thanks to Jeff Wheeler deflecting away Cody Hawkins’ pass over the middle.

Colorado downed the punt at the Kansas six-yard line.

6:13, third quarter, KU leads 13-7

On KU’s first play of the drive, Reesing threw a swing pass to Kerry Meier which gained good yardage. But a first down was given automatically due to a defensive holding penalty against Conrad Obi.

Brandon McAnderson then ran for 11 yards and another KU first down to the Colorado 16.

KU lost yardage on first down on a similar pass to Kerry Meier, and a pair of incompletions to Dexton Fields and Dezmon Briscoe led to a 35-yard Scott Webb field goal – his second of the game.

7:19, third quarter, KU leads 10-7

KU’s defense was energized by the score, stopping Colorado on a second-and-10 run play for a minimal gain following a bad first downpass by Hawkins.

On third down, Justin Thornton made an incredible play on an interception at the Colorado 37. He tipped the ball away from Tyson DeVree, giving him two picks in the last two weeks.

8:20, third quarter, KU leads 10-7

A 15-yard personal foul facemask on Marcus Herford’s kickoff return gave KU the ball with great field position at its own 42-yard line.

Jake Sharp took an inside give on first down for 11 yards and a first down into Colorado territory.

It was followed by an eight-yard gain by Sharp, and a second down pass to Marcus Henry set KU up with another first down to the Colorado 29.

On first down, Marcus Henry made another catch over the middle, this time in traffic. He wrestled his way with the ball for a 27-yard game to set up first-and-goal at the Colorado two-yard line. Jake Sharp took it right up the gut for a two-yard touchdown run to answer back for the Jayhawks.

9:50, third quarter, Colorado leads 7-3

Colorado got the ball to start the half at its own 20-yard line following a touchback on the Scott Webb boot.

Hugh Charles went for seven yards on his fifth carry of the game to start Colorado’s offense with a positive. It was followed by a Demetrius Sumler gainer right to the sticks, setting up third-and-inches.

Sumler picked up the first down with a one-yard gain diving forward.

Kendrick Celestine caught a seven-yard out pattern on first down, where James Holt dragged him down at the Colorado 37. Charles then picked up another yard before James Holt made another stop.

On third-and-three, Mike Rivera drove a cutting Hugh Charles to the turf and forced DiLallo to come in to punt. But Colorado forced a delay of game call on the KU defense, and set the Buffs’ offense up with a first-and-10 at their own 43.

Colorado immediately took advantage of the gift first down, as Hawkins found Josh Smith down to the KU 36 on a long passing play to the left sideline.

Charles then evaded the grasp of both Mike Rivera and Patrick Resby for a six-yard gain on first down, putting the ball at the 30 and in field goal range.

On a reverse play, Patrick Williams picked up three yards on second down, setting up yet another third-and-short for the Buffaloes’ offense. On third-and-one, Hawkins fumbled the snap, and picked it up to find Tyson DeVree down the middle off the field with no one within 20 yards of him. The easy-looking TD and ensuing extra point put Colorado up 7-3.

Halftime Stats

Todd Reesing was an efficient 10-of-15, but only for 72 yards, as opposed to Cody Hawkins’ 91 yards.

Reesing was also KU’s leading rusher with 61 yards, including a spectacular 53-yarder to set up the game’s lone score so far. Jake Sharp was next on the KU stat sheet with just 12 yards on six carries.

Brian Lockridge and Hugh Charles each had four carries for CU, but only combined for 36 yards.

Marcus Henry had 31 yards on two catches for KU, but had a late fumble which cost the Jayhawks a shot at going for a late score before the break. Tyson DeVree caught three balls to lead the Buffs.

Halftime, KU leads 3-0

Things went immediately sour for KU. After Todd Reesing hit Marcus Henry for a gain up to midfield, Ryan Walters put a helmet on the ball and jarred it loose. It was recovered right at midfield by Colorado.

A booth review confirmed that the fumble was true, and on first down, Cody Hawkins hit Tyson DeVree for an eight-yard gain. Hawkins was flushed from the pocket on second down and was forced to throw it away.

On third-and-two, Hawkins overshot Dusty Sprague for an incompletion.

In a gutsy move, CU went for it on fourth-and-two, and Hawkins hit Patrick Williams for five yards and a first down, putting the ball at the KU 36.

Hawkins after a timeout hit Riar Geer up to the KU 27, followed by a spike by Hawkins with 14 ticks left on the clock.

On a strange third-and-one, James McClinton intercepted a Hawkins deflected pass, but fumbled it back to Colorado with five seconds left. At the KU 37, CU opted for a shot at the end zone, and the pass was knocked out of bounds by Aqib Talib, leaving it 3-0 at the half.

1:35, second quarter, KU leads 3-0

KU went three-and-out, when Derek Fine dropped an open pass over the seam on third-and-three, giving the ball back to Colorado via punt with under four minutes to play in the half.

Colorado was set up at its own 27.

On a pair of short passes, Colorado earned a first down to its own 37. James McClinton pushed Colorado back nine yards on the games’ first sack, and Jake Laptad pulled Hawkins down as he tried to scramble on second down, but stuffed him with a one-yard gain. KU called a timeout with Colorado facing a third-and-17 and 1:50 left on the clock.

Laptad disrupted things again with a 10-yard sack on third-and-17, forcing Colorado to punt from its own 20. KU took over at its own 33 with 1:35 to go.

3:46, second quarter, KU leads 3-0

KU went three-and-out, when Derek Fine dropped an open pass over the seam on third-and-three, giving the ball back to Colorado via punt with under four minutes to play in the half.

Colorado was set up at its own 27.

5:12, second quarter, KU leads 3-0

Brian Lockridge took the ball on two straight snaps for Colorado, going for 22 yards on two plays to put the ball in Kansas territory at the 48.

Byron Ellis and Lockridge then set Colorado up with a third-and-seven after two short gainers. On the third down play, Hawkins hit Tyson DeVree inside the KU 40 for a nine-yard gain to the 36.

On first down, the Buffs went to Celestine on a reverse, but thanks to a big play by John Larson, he was forced backwards for a 10-yard loss. On second-and-20, Colorado struck gold with an 18-yard gainer to Patrick Williams, in which it was sprung by a missed tackle from Kendrick Harper.

After Sprague dropped an open pass on third-and-two, Kevin Eberhart gave KU another break, missing a 46-yard field goal. KU took the ball over at its own 29 with 5:12 to go in the half.

9:01, second quarter, KU leads 3-0

Marcus Henry made a spectacular 15-yard grab on first down with Reesing rolling to his left. He caught the ball up high on the sideline, setting KU up in CU territory.

After a Brandon McAnderson three-yard gain on first down, Reesing was again flushed forward on second down, picking up four more yards to set up third-and-three.

Reesing dumped a short pass to Brandon McAnderson on the play, picking up five yards and a first down to the Colorado 37.

On first down, Reesing threw a quick flare out to Kerry Meier, who slid forward for an eight-yard gain.

KU brought out tricky packages on both second- and third-and-two, but two passes for Aqib Talib and Brandon McAnderson were unsuccessful. On fourth-and-two, a pass over the middle for Kerry Meier was off his fingers, forcing a turnover on downs with 9:01 to play in the half.

12:05, second quarter, KU leads 3-0

CU went to freshman Brian Lockridge on first down, and his 5-foot-7 frame went for a one-yard gain. Hawkins then was forced to flip a short pass to Riar Geer on second down, but that only gained another three feet.

On third-and-eight, Hawkins rushed a pass that Dusty Sprague was not ready for. It fell incomplete and forced Colorado into its second punt of the afternoon. This time, Anthony Webb called for a fair catch at his own 36.

13:42, second quarter, KU leads 3-0

KU’s drive stalled from there, as Reesing was sacked for a six-yard loss on second down, and again had to rely on the shovel pass on third down.

That brought Scott Webb out for his first true test kicking-wise this season. He drilled a 48-yarder into the wind despite an awkward snap, helping KU draw first blood.

End of first quarter, game tied 0-0

After getting the ball to Jake Sharp twice, KU was again set up with a tough third down, this time with five yards to go inside its own 20.

Todd Reesing finally gave the KU offense the spark it needed. He evaded a sack by two CU defenders and shot up the middle. He pump-faked Ben Burney in the second level, and thanks to a big downfield block by Derek Fine, rumbled for 53 yards, setting KU up at the CU 30-yard line. A three-yard gain by Jake Sharp ended the first quarter.

1:58, first quarter, game tied 0-0

James Holt made his second straight big play on defense out of his linebacker post, making a tackle for a loss on a short Hawkins pass on first down to Josh Smith.

Freshman back Demetrius Sumler then moved the ball for a four-yard gain, setting up third-and-eight exactly at midfield for CU. Hawkins converted the third down this time, finding Tyson DeVree over the middle for an 11-yard gain before being stopped by Justin Thornton.

Hugh Charles came back into the game and went right to work with a six-yard gain on a nifty shift in the heart of the KU defense.

CU took a bigger chunk out of the KU defense on second down, pushing the ball to the 23-yard line on a 12-yard pass to Kendrick Celestine, sprung by a big Patrick Williams block on Chris Harris.

Hawkins then found Sprague for a five-yard gain on first down, and Behrens’ second down carry went right to the first-down marker, but was spotted a half-yard shy of the sticks, setting up third-and-short.

KU caught a big break on third-and short when Hugh Charles, wrapped up right at the line of scrimmage, attempted to reach the ball forward. It slipped from his grip, right into the hands of Kendrick Harper, putting the ball in KU’s possession at the 12-yard line.

5:58, first quarter, game tied 0-0

Starting at its own five-yard line, KU went to the ground first, but it was an unsuccessful attempt with Jake Sharp which netted no gain.

Then trying to air it out, Todd Reesing threw a long pass down the right sideline for Marcus Henry, who had it signaled as a catch while going out of bounds. But a replay showed that he bobbled the ball and was out of bounds once he controlled it.

On third-and-10, Reesing was left to do nothing but flip a shovel pass to Brandon McAnderson for a short gain. KU’s Kyle Tucker skied a punt into Colorado territory, which was fumbled but recovered by the Buffs at their own 48.

7:38, first quarter, game tied 0-0

Colorado went to its bread-and-butter – senior tailback Hugh Charles – right from go, as he picked up four yards on the Buffs’ first offensive play.

That set up a play-action pass from Cody Hawkins to Dusty Sprague, pushing the ball up to the Buffs’ own 33-yard line.

Charles followed it with a three-yard gain, and it set up an inside reverse to Patrick Williams, who got the Buffaloes yet another fresh set of downs at the CU 43.

Jake Behrens was stuffed for no gain up the middle on first down, and a Cody Hawkins pass for Scotty McKKnight was nearly picked by Aqib Talib, setting up Colorado’s first third down attempt of the game. Hawkins took off up the middle, but he was stopped short by James Holt for a seven-yard gain.

Matthew DiLallo punted to Anthony Webb, who made an ill-advised catch inside his own five-yard line, setting KU up at the five for its second possession.

10:45, first quarter, game tied 0-0

KU took the ball at its own 20 to start the game following a touchback on the opening kick.

First came a shoverl pass up the middle for an 11-yard gain from Todd Reesing to Jake Sharp. Sharp then took a handoff inside on the second snap, going for nine yards up to the 40-yard line.

KU earned a delay of game flag before the second-and-one snap, leaving KU with a second-and-six. A one-yard gain by Sharp set up a tough third down, but Reesing shuffled out from nice pocket protection and scurried out of bounds with a seven-yard gain and a fresh set of downs.

KU gained one on a reverse to Dexton Fields which CU sniffed out, and lost the yard on the next play with a swing pass to Sharp. On third-and-10, Reesing was flushed straight up the middle, but only gained four yards, forcing KU to end the game’s opening possession with a Kyle Tucker punt.

Tucker’s punt sailed into the end zone for a touchback. It was a 53-yard boot.

Pregame

The Kansas Jayhawks enter today’s game in Boulder, Colo., in an unusual position – the driver’s seat – in the Big 12 North.

As the conference’s only undefeated team, KU’s destiny is truly in its own hands, and the program’s breakout season continues today in a place where Jayhawk teams of the past have traditionally struggled. The 4-3 Buffaloes are off to a 2-1 start in Big 12 play, including a signature win at home over Oklahoma on 27-24. But the Buffs are a bit more of a mystery after suffering a 47-20 beating at Kansas State a week ago.

The 15th-ranked Jayhawks enter Folsom Field as a slight favorite, but KU is 1-10 in its last 11 trips to the Big 12 North’s western-most location.

Both teams’ success could rely heavily on which young quarterback is able to establish a rhythm early. Todd Reesing, KU’s sophomore gunslinger, is completing 57.1 percent of his passes this season, including 16 touchdown passes as opposed to just four interceptions.

Colorado freshman quarterback Cody Hawkins, the son of CU second-year coach Dan Hawkins, has a similar completion percentage at 55.8, but his 11 touchdown tosses are almost overshadowed by interception woes. He’s turned it over 12 times through the air.

Both quarterbacks are supplemented by solid rushing attacks. Colorado senior Hugh Charles has 522 yards on the ground in six games played this season. KU has two running backs both near a 1,000-yard pace for the season. Sophomore Jake Sharp has 498 yards this year, averaging 6.6 yards per tote. Also over the six-yard per carry mark is senior Brandon McAnderson, with 461 yards on 74 carries – two fewer takes than Sharp.

CU’s running game may face a steeper climb than KU’s, as the Jayhawks have the Big 12’s second-toughest run defense, statistically speaking. Kansas, averaging just 80 yards allowed on the ground per game, has only let one running back go over the 100-yard mark in the last three season.

The conditions today are sunny and warm, with clouds peppering the sky, but no signs of inclement weather.