TCU running back Cam Cook (4) breaks through the Kansas defense during the fourth quarter on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024 at GEHA Field in Kansas City.

Kansas City, Mo. — In the first quarter of Kansas’ 38-27 loss to TCU on Saturday, the Horned Frogs had five plays with 15 or more yards, four of which came through the air.

TCU had an easy time moving downfield for most of the game, but in particular, its ability to do so when the Jayhawks started to gain some momentum helped spoil KU’s first game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. When the Horned Frogs needed to move the chains, they did it. When they needed a score, they got it.

TCU quarterback Josh Hoover had 135 yards and a touchdown in the first quarter, and 227 yards and two touchdowns by halftime. Later, the Horned Frogs scored on a 59-yard touchdown pass to Eric McAlister on their second play of the following drive right after the Jayhawks brought the game within a point.

Linebacker Taiwan Berryhill Jr. said after the game that the Horned Frogs’ offense did what the Jayhawks were expecting. The Horned Frogs entered the game averaging the third-most passing yards per game in the country. Hoover ended the night with 356 passing yards while completing 76% of his passes.

Granted, KU got timely turnovers that kept the Jayhawks in the game. Senior cornerback Cobee Bryant forced a fumble on the opening drive that the Jayhawks turned into a touchdown. O.J. Burroughs later intercepted a pass in the second quarter with the game tied at 14-14. Cornerback Mello Dotson recorded the team’s second interception on Hoover in the third, but the Jayhawks failed to score points on the turnover.

The three against TCU were a season high that beat out last week’s two turnovers forced against West Virginia. Prior to that, the Jayhawks had forced two turnovers through three games.

Head coach Lance Leipold said after the game that the Jayhawks have “been in a rut a little bit on turnovers” but that a collective effort of the defense generated the three against TCU. In addition, the Jayhawks’ run defense was stout for the first half, allowing only 3.3 yards per carry.

However, those efforts could only do so much to stave off TCU. In the final quarter when the Horned Frogs committed to the run with a lead, they rushed for 57 yards and ate six minutes off the clock immediately following the two-play drive that resulted in a touchdown.

Missed tackles were a glaring issue, particularly late in the second half and on McAllister’s touchdown catch. Leipold said the issues are concerning, but can be attributed in part to some injuries.

“We’re banged up in some spots, we’re missing some guys, but that’s not an excuse, that’s college football at this point in the year,” Leipold said.

Figuring out how to finish was a common thread among the team after the game. Leipold said after the game that the team’s issues aren’t one exact thing every play, but a different number of issues at different points in the game.

The defense made some plays but failed at other points. The Jayhawks have created five turnovers in the past two games, but still failed to make a stand when the team needed one.