Kansas linebacker Bangally Kamara (1) stops Fresno State running back Rayshon Luke (2) on a run during the second quarter on Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025 at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Photo by Nick Krug

Neither Bangally Kamara nor Kenean Caldwell knew that Fresno State quarterback E.J. Warner had actually fumbled the ball in the third quarter on Saturday.

Kamara had zoomed past the Bulldogs’ freshman left tackle Brayden Walton and thrown down Warner for a sack in the first place, and Caldwell was the one who dove on the ball when it flipped out of Warner’s right hand and off into wide-open space.

“I don’t even know, man,” Kamara said about the play postgame. “I can’t even remember it. I probably just got to go back and see. I just wanted to beat the block, got a good get-off, beat the block, went (to) try to grab him, pull him down.”

“I saw him sack the quarterback, but I thought he threw it at first,” Caldwell said. “I didn’t hear no whistle, so I just fell on it, just to make sure — even though afterwards, I figured out that I did have an opportunity to score.”

It took time for both players to realize that they had forced a key turnover (and it took even more time because referees initially ruled Warner down, a ruling that was overturned upon review). But the forced fumble, which killed a drive that had brought Fresno State to KU’s 33-yard line, turned out to be one of several pivotal plays in a redemptive final three quarters for the Jayhawks’ defense.

KU had let the Bulldogs cruise down the newly resurfaced Kivisto Field for a seven-play, 76-yard touchdown drive, one replete with missed tackles and generally sloppy play, the first time they came out on offense. Then Fresno State did not score for the remainder of the game, as KU breezed past the Bulldogs for a 31-7 victory.

As head coach Lance Leipold said, the defense didn’t panic.

“They made us miss, we had some missed tackles in the first series, but they were confident enough to know that we can make those plays and do it,” Leipold said. “And I thought we did a great job (to) start creating turnovers, start putting pressure on the quarterback.”

KU did experience its greatest success when it rattled Warner. The Bulldogs’ starter, a transfer who previously played at Temple and Rice, entered the year with 8,814 career passing yards to his name, but also 37 interceptions.

“We had a feeling that throughout his career, he had a tendency to turn the ball over if we could get to him a little bit and do some things,” Leipold said, “and that played out in our favor.”

It did indeed, and it was the primary reason the Jayhawks built distance from the Bulldogs.

It began when KU had claimed a 21-7 advantage on Cam Pickett’s second touchdown catch, giving the Jayhawks their first two-possession lead of the day. Warner pushed the Bulldogs across midfield, but a false start by Walton pushed Fresno State from third-and-2 to third-and-7. Flushed out of the pocket to his left by Justice Finkley, and with Jon Jon Kamara bearing down, Warner lofted a pass into a cluster of three Bulldogs and four Jayhawks.

Those odds didn’t favor him, and indeed, safety Devin Dye came away with an interception.

That drive produced a field goal, and the short-field drive after Caldwell’s fumble recovery led to a touchdown pass from Jalon Daniels to Keaton Kubecka.

Those two takeaways resulted in the eventual final score of 31-7, but KU’s defense wasn’t done. Lyrik Rawls made arguably the best individual defensive play of the night when he swooped in to corral a ball that had bounced off Fresno State receiver Josiah Freeman, maintaining control even as he tumbled over Freeman’s body.

The three turnovers prevented the Bulldogs from gaining any offensive momentum, as KU’s defense came a long way from its lackluster effort to open the game.

Bangally Kamara said the defense’s identity is based on responding to adversity — and it’s an identity they had to invoke as early as the first quarter of their season opener.

“No matter what happens, adversity’s going to come, and we got to learn how to bounce back from adversity,” he said. “It came very early for us. We could have let it affect us but we didn’t. I’m very happy and proud that we did that.”

photo by: AP Photo/Colin E. Braley

Fresno State quarterback E.J. Warner (13) gets sacked for a loss by Kansas defensive end Leroy Harris III (33) during the second half of an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, in Lawrence.

Kansas linebacker Jon Jon Kamara (8) celebrates an interception by the Jayhawks during the second quarter on Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025 at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Photo by Nick Krug

photo by: AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

Kansas safety Lyrik Rawls (2) intercepts a pass intended for Fresno State wide receiver Josiah Freeman (5) during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, in Lawrence.

photo by: Mike Gunnoe/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas senior Lyrik Rawls makes an interception against Fresno State at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025 in Lawrence.

photo by: Mike Gunnoe/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas senior Lyrik Rawls celebrates making an interception against Fresno State at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025 in Lawrence.

photo by: Mike Gunnoe/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas senior Lyrik Rawls makes an interception against Fresno State at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025 in Lawrence.