Final, KU wins 52-7

Todd Reesing was without question the star of the night, completing 20 of 29 passes for 261 yards, four touchdowns and no turnovers. He ran the offense soundly and efficiently, while aided by a pair of 100-yard rushers in Brandon McAnderson and Jake Sharp behind him. Marcus Henry was the team’s leading receiver, gaining 103 yards on seven catches, finding the end zone once.

In the end, KU outgained CMU offensively 538-294, with the games other biggest highlight being a 77-yard punt return for a touchdown by freshman Raimond Pendleton. Pendleton also caught a 21-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter from Kerry Meier.

KU will take on Southeastern Louisiana next Saturday, with kickoff scheduled for 6 p.m.

4:10, fourth quarter, KU leads 52-7

Patrick Resby recovered a CMU fumble to give teh ball back to KU with just over six minutes to go, and true freshman Carmon Boyd-Anderson came in to relieve Jake Sharp of his backfield duties.

10:10, fourth quarter, KU leads 52-7

Kerry Meier took the reigns of the KU offense to start the fourth quarter, and Jake Sharp started things off with an 11-yard run after the play looked dead in the backfield.

Sharp then scampered for 13 yards up the left sideline, giving him his first career 100-yard game, and giving the Jayhawks a pair of triple-digit rushers on the day.

The drive concluded with Meier hitting Raimond Pendleton in the front, left corner of the end zone for a 21-yard score, putting KU up 52-7.

14:55, fourth quarter, KU leads 45-7

The fourth quarter started with LeFevour finding Bryan Anderson over the middle for a 17-yard score, getting Central Michigan on the board three quarters later than many had expected.

LeFevour is 16-of-33 for 158 yards and one touchdown, though KU has outgained CMU offensively 455-230 on the night.

End third quarter, KU leads 45-0

LeFevour found a bit of a rhythm on the next drive, but there was just further proof that it wasn’t meant to be CMU’s night. After Bryan Anderson burned Chris Harris down the middle, LeFevour put a ball right on his hands, which Anderson juggled and lost off his facemask instead of taking for a sure-fire touchdown. LeFevour picked up a first down on the next snap, though, by scurrying for 18 yards on his own, moving the ball to the KU 34.

The third quarter came to an end with Central Michigan facing a second-and-four at the KU 17.

2:42, third quarter, KU leads 45-0

KU’s defense continued to pitch the shutout, this time being sparked by a second down sack by John Larson and James McClinton. It forced a third-and-19 which the Chippewas were far from able to convert.

Sharp moved the chains in a variety of ways with the ball back in KU’s hands. First he drew a 15-yard facemasking penalty, and then picked up 10 yards on two carries to give KU a fresh set of downs at the CMU 23-yard line.

Reesing then hit Henry for his sixth and seventh receptions of the game, and it also put him over 100 yards for the game at 103. More importantly, it gave KU a first down inside the 20 at the 13.

The drive stalled shy of the end zone, but Scott Webb drilled a 34-yard field goal to put KU up 45-0 with 2:42 left in the third quarter.

9:48, third quarter, KU leads 42-0

CMU took the ball to open the second half, with a good amount of the KU fans having filed out to celebrate a littel early.

Justin Hoskins took a pitch from LeFevour to open the second half 15 yards up the left side of the defense to move the ball to the CMU 37.

Antonio Brown then took a turn toting the ball on a reverse, and after a nice block from LeFevour, he was popped to the side by Darrell Stuckey, but not before gaining another first down.

Joe Mortensen recorded KU’s first sack of the day on the ensuing play, and it was followed by Mike Rivera jarring loose a dump over the middle for Ontario Sneed with a vicious hit to the high side. An incompletion on third down forced Mikulec’s seventh punt of the evening.

KU took over at its own 24, and on first down, Jake Sharp shot up the right side for a seven-yard gain. Sharp followed it up with a 24-yard gainer to the same side, putting KU again in CMU territory at the 45.

After a first down incompletion, Sharp went for six more yards, setting up third-and-four. Facing that situation, Reesing found Marcus Henry for the fourth time on the day for 19 yards, giving him four catches for 87 yards so far.

KU called a timeout to clear up some confusion, and followed it with another 12 yards from Jake Sharp, giving KU a first-and-goal from the CMU eight.

Reesing then found Marcus Henry down to the three-yard line, and it set up Jake Sharp for his first career touchdown on an inside give up the middle, sealing what looks to be an opening night victory, as KU gave itself a 42-0 lead with 9:48 left in the third quarter.

Halftime, KU leads 35-0

Brandon McAnderson continued to near the 100-yard mark before the half as KU took back over with the ball with 1:10 to go at its own 13-yard line.

McAnderson then dealt a stiff-arm to a CMU defender for a first down, giving him 107 yards on 15 carries with the half closing out.

At the half, KU has outgained CMU on offense, 348-144. Todd Reesing? 15-of-21 for 217 yards and four touchdowns. CMU’s Dan LeFevour, who entered the game as the more hyped signalcaller, is 11-of-22 for 114 yards.

3:07, second quarter, KU leads 35-0

After another failed Central Michigan drive and continued inability to come close to point production, KU went back to the ground. Brandon McAnderson gained 21 yards on his first two carries of the drive, putting him at 90 yards on 12 carries with just over four minutes to go before the half. He then picked up a first down on a one-yard gain, and earned a breather on the sideline.

Todd Reesing continued to absolutely sparkle, this time finding Aqib Talib for a 49-yard touchdown which flew more than 50 yards in the air, leading Talib perfectly into the end zone. Reesing’s first half numbers are now 15-of-21 for 217 yards and four touchdowns.

6:03, second quarter, KU leads 28-0

KU forced CMU’s fourth three-and-out of the game, with Darrell Stuckey throwing blanket coverage on a Chippewa wideout on third-and-four.

The punt this time netted points for KU, as Raimond Pendleton split the middle of the CMU punt coverage, sprinting for a 77-yard punt return, which ended with two long strides and a head-first dive across the goal line. The celebration drew a 15-yard celebration penalty and a chewing from Mark Mangino, but the extra point put KU up 28-0.

6:38, second quarter, KU leads 21-0

It took Reesing moments to hit for his third touchdown pass of the game, sending Marcus Henry on a fly route which left a helpless Chippewa defender nothing more than exposed. It came on the heels of an 11-yard Reesing scramble. Henry corralled the ball, sprinted down the sideline and ended up with a 46-yard touchdown, 24 of it he ran with the ball in-hand. Todd Reesing is now 13-of-18 with 156 yards and three touchdown tosses.

8:04, second quarter, KU leads 14-0

Tredale Kennedy sacked Reesing to give KU a third-and-very long. A shovel pass to Jake Sharp on third down made up five yards of it, but ultimately brought Kyle Tucker out for the second time on the day.

KU was called for fair catch interference on the punt, giving CMU the ball at its own 29.

A pair of Ontario Sneed carries set up third-and-four, but LeFevour was incomplete while going deep, giving KU the ball yet again, with 12:04 left in the first half.

KU’s next drive was a dud, though, as Todd Reesing was forced to throw the ball away in response to pressure while escaping the pocket. CMU survived a scare as the ball hit one of its players while falling on the ground following the kick, but the Chippewas recovered it, setting up at their own 31.

On first down, LeFevour found Anderson for his second catch of the game, giving CMU a second-and-one, which Sneed quickly picked up. It turned into first-and-15, though, with a false start penalty. Sneed got back to the original line of scrimmage on a screen pass on first down.

Central Michigan’s possession took a turn for the worse with a holding call while LeFevour rolled out on second down, forcing a second-and-20. The drive eventually talled out six yards shy of a first down. KU was given excellent field position when the snap went over punter Tony Mikulec’s head, and he sent a low liner just across the opposing 40-yard line, setting KU up at its own 39.

End first quarter, KU leads 14-0

Ontario Sneed moved the ball five yards up the middle to start Central Michigan’s third drive, but it was quickly negated by a five yard penalty before the second down snap. Sneed then gave CMU its first fresh set of downs of the game by moving 45 yards on a set up screen, putting the bean at the Kansas 35.

A failed quarterback keeper and a pair of incompletions led CMU to have to go for it on fourth-and-10 at the 35. Instead, it was a quick kick, putting the ball down at the KU two-yard line.

Brandon McAnderson, back at tailback, quickly got KU out of trouble with a 15-yard run up the left side, making that the call to start three straight drives.

On third-and-three, another highlight reel play came about, as Reesing threw a fade to Marcus Henry, which ricocheted off the shoulder pads of Eric Fraser on the coverage. Henry’s eyes stayed with teh ball, as he caught the ball off the deflection while on his knees, setting up another first down as the first quarter came to a close. Reesing is now 11-of-15 for 104 yards and two scores.

3:25, first quarter, KU leads 14-0

KU’s defense again forced a three-and-out, as they’ve put the clamps on Dan LeFevour via tight play in the defensive backfield. On third-and-10, James hold shut down Anderson after a seven-yard grab, giving the ball back to KU, this time taking over at its own 25.

This time, Jake Sharp took over in the backfield behind Reesing, and on first down went off the left edge for eight yards. After an audible prior to the second down snap, a swing pass to Dexton Fields netted another KU first down, this time bumping the ball to the KU 42.

Sharp again took a first down handoff, this time hurdling a defender at the line and picking up another eight yards. He then threw a key block, giving Reesing time to strike Fields over the middle. Fields then made a nice cutback and headed towards the sidelines, turning up and moving the ball down to the CMU 16.

Todd Reesing’s arm continued to produce magic, pumping a 16-yard bullet to the near right pylon, where he found freshman Dezmon Briscoe. His first career grab was an impressive one, as he had his bell rung upon receiving it along the boundary. Though he held on, giving Reesing two TD tosses in the opening frame.

7:21, first quarter, KU leads 7-0

To start the second drive, KU went to the ground, with Brandon McAnderson taking it five yards up the left side of the line. Reesing then completed his first pass of the season, finding Fine for four yards, just shy of the sticks at the 41-yard line.

McAnderson, though, was stuffed in the middle of the trenches on an inside give, and forced Mark Mangino into a gutsy call to go for it on fourth-and-one. Reesing flipped it over the middle to Fine for a seven-yard gain and a first down.

McAnderson kept the sticks moving, this time going up the right side for a 14-yard gain. It was followed by a seven-yard scamper, getting KU near field goal range at the CMU 33. Seven more yards followed, as McAnderson moved his rushing total up to 34 yards on the drive.

A fourth straight carry for the senior from Lawrence moved the ball inside the red zone to the 18. The Jayhawks went to the air again, this time with Reesing finding two-way standout Aqib Talib, who moved down to the 15, leaving the Jayhawks a yard shy of a first down. From there, it was back to McAnderson, giving the Jayhawks their fourth first down of the drive, putting the ball at the seven.

McAnderson then toted the ball to the four, and Todd Reesing put the Jayhawks on the board first, finding Derek Fine in the back left corner of the end zone for a four-yard score. It gave Fine three catches on the drive for 15 yards.

12:29, first quarter, 0-0

The opening kickoff went out of bounds, after KU elected to receive upon winning the cointoss. The penalty gave KU the ball at its own 35-yard line.

On his first pass attempt of the season, Todd Reesing was errant through the slot, but KU before its next snap was awarded five yards thanks to an offsides penalty. On second-and-five, Reesing found Dexton Fields in the flats, but Ike Brown converged to bring Fields down for a two-yard loss. Reesing was incomplete going over the top for Derek Fine, forcing Kyle Tucker to punt on the game’s opening possession.

Central Michigan took over at its own 22, where Dan LeFevour found his favorite target Bryan Anderson for a quick three-yard gain on first down. The Chippewas were forced into a three-and-out, too, with Chris Harris sticking Ontario Sneed in the flat on third-and-seven. KU took over for its second possession at its own 33.

Pregame

Memorial Stadium, even with its limited exterior confines due to a massive construction site, today welcomes the start of the 2007 season under perfect weather conditions against Central Michigan.

The clear skies are perfect, too, as plenty of offensive fireworks are expected between the Jayhawks and the Chippewas, as both have plenty of reason to be excited with the ball in their hands.

Central Michigan comes to town boasting sophomore quarterback Dan LeFevour, who threw for mroe than 3,000 yards a year ago, leading CMU to a 10-4 season, a MAC championship and a win in the Motor City Bowl. He’s flanked with talent, too, most notably 6-foot-5 sophomore receiver Bryan Anderson and versatile junior tailback Ontario Sneed, who has rushed for more than 1,800 yards and caught more than 100 passes in his CMU career.

The big storyline for the Jayhawks is the first career start for sophomore quarterback Todd Reesing, who played the equivalent of three quarters of football a year ago in a backup role late in the season. Also, eyes will be on sophomore Jake Sharp, who heads a list of backs trying to replace Jon Cornish, who led the Big 12 in rushing yards as a senior in 2006.

Opening kick is set for 6 p.m.