Jayhawks rally, but fall to Texas Tech

Kansas linebacker Schyler Miles (32) misses a tackle on Texas Tech running back DeAndre Washington (21) as he runs toward the end zone before being brought down just shy of a touchdown during the second quarter on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015 at Memorial Stadium.

The Kansas football team’s offense moved the ball well against Texas Tech on Saturday at Memorial Stadium, as true freshman Ryan Willis completed 35 of his 50 throws, but putting enough points on the board was another story in a 30-20 home loss.

Not only did the Jayhawks (0-6 overall, 0-3 Big 12) fail to come up with enough touchdowns to go with their 475 yards of offense against a struggling Red Raiders defense, but the kicking game came back to bite KU in a big way.

Nick Bartolotta missed a 22-yard field goal in the second quarter, with 2:20 to play. Then Matthew Wyman missed a 34-yard try just as the first-half clock expired, allowing Texas Tech (5-2, 2-2) to enter the break with a 20-0 lead. Wyman had also missed a 52-yard field goal early in the first quarter.

What’s more, Wyman actually missed an extra point in the third quarter after KU finally got on the scoreboard with a 10-yard Darious Crawley touchdown from Willis.

Fourth-quarter touchdowns from receiver Tre’ Parmalee and running back Taylor Cox got KU within three points of Tech with 6:26 to play.

But Willis soon after threw an interception to Jah’Shawn Johnson, who returned it 27 yards for a touchdown.

The Red Raiders, led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes II’s 359 yards and a TD, as well as 160 rushing yards and a score from running back DeAndre Washington, finished with 584 yards of offense but had to punt five times after the KU defense held.

The Jayhawks play at Oklahoma State next Saturday.

— See what people were saying about the game during KUsports.com’s live blog.

HOW THEY SCORED

First Quarter

0:36 — Clayton Hatfield 30 field goal. The Jayhawks nearly held the high-powered Texas Tech offense scoreless in the first, but a 12-play, 77-yard drive just before the end of the quarter changed that. TTU QB Patrick Mahomes completed 5 of 7 passes on the drive and also scrambled for a 10-yard gain on a key third down. KU linebacker Joe Dineen Jr., picked up a sack in the red zone to force Tech into the field goal attempt. (Texas Tech 3, KU 0).

Second Quarter
13:10 — DeAndre Washington 1 run. Le’Raven Clark two-point run. After KU receiver Darious Crawley fumbled to end a promising KU drive, the Red Raiders marched 61 yards in six plays and 1:27 to take a two-score lead. A flea-flicker pass from Mahomes to Jakeem Grant on second down picked up 31 yards and sent the Red Raiders on their way. (Texas Tech 11, KU 0).

10:13 — Clayton Hatfield 24 field goal. A 45-yard pass from Mahomes to Cameron Batson kick-started the Red Raiders’ third scoring drive, but, for the second time in the game, the KU defense, led by Dineen, stiffened in the red zone and held TTU to three points. The drive covered 50 yards in five plays and 1:21. (Texas Tech 14, KU 0).

13:10 — DeAndre Washington 1 run. Le’Raven Clark two-point run. After KU receiver Darious Crawley fumbled to end a promising KU drive, the Red Raiders marched 61 yards in six plays and 1:27 to take a two-score lead. A flea-flicker pass from Mahomes to Jakeem Grant on second down picked up 31 yards and sent the Red Raiders on their way. (Texas Tech 11, KU 0).

1:02 — Reginald Davis 45 pass from Patrick Mahomes. Kick failed. A fourth-down conversion at midfield kept the Red Raiders’ scoring drive alive and, on the very next play, Mahomes connected on the deep pass with Davis, who beat KU cornerback Tyrone Miller Jr., for the walk-in touchdown. The drive covered 80 yards in nine plays and 1:18. (Texas Tech 20, KU 0).

Third Quarter

5:39 — Darious Crawley 10 pass from Ryan Willis. Kick failed. KU’s freshman quarterback completed all six of his pass attempts on the drive and Ke’aun Kinner handled all of the carries as the Jayhawks drove 69 yards in 11 plays and 4:30 to get on the scoreboard. Both Crawley and Jeremiah Booker hauled in two catches on the drive. (Texas Tech 20, KU 6).

1:17 — Hatfield 25 field goal. Texas Tech answered KU’s first score of the day with a 14-play, 68-yard drive that ate 4:22 off the clock and pushed the Red Raiders’ lead back to three scores. Mahomes, who was sacked once on the drive, gained yards both with his legs and his arm in setting up the kick. (Texas Tech 23, KU 6).

Fourth Quarter

10:32 — Tre’ Parmalee 25 pass from Willis. Nick Bartolotta kick. The Jayhawks pulled to within 10 points early in the fourth when Derrick Neal forced a fumble that Fish Smithson took all the way back for a touchdown on yet another defensive stand by Kansas. A penalty brought Fish’s touchdown return back, but four plays later, Willis hit Parmalee with a perfect pass up the left sideline on a fourth-and-two play to cap a four-play, 33-yard drive that took 1:32. (Texas Tech 23, KU 13).

6:26 — Taylor Cox 1 run. Bartolotta kick. After another big stop by the Kansas defense, the Jayhawks marched 45 yards in nine plays and 2:56 to pull to within three points. Ke’aun Kinner ran three times for 14 yards and De’Andre Mann ran once for 17. Willis and Cox handled the rest, with the QB hooking up with Crawley and Parmalee to set the stage for Cox to plow into the end zone on two carries from four yards out. (Texas Tech 23, KU 20).

4:07 — Jah’Shawn Johnson 27 interception return. Hatfield kick. After a wild play in which Willis fumbled in the end zone and watched two Red Raiders fight over the loose ball, allowing De’Andre Mann to scoop it up and save the day for Kansas, the freshman QB tossed an interception by telegraphing a pas to Booker that was returned for a touchdown that put the game out of reach. (Texas Tech 30, KU 20).