Kansas Jayhawks Upset by UNLV in Thriller: 5 Numbers That Told the Story

Jayhawks upset for second straight week and fall to 1-2

Nick Shepkowski | Sep 14, 2024

Sep 13, 2024; Kansas City, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks linebacker JB Brown (1) celebrates after a play during the first half against the UNLV Rebels at Children's Mercy Park. / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

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Kansas vs. UNLV: 0-3

Kansas did a lot of things to gift a win to UNLV Friday night and although no single play was probably bigger or more representative of the Jayhawks loss than not being able to jump on that fourth quarter fumble, fourth down was what did the team in throughout the evening.

Kansas did a commendable job holding UNLV to just 2-13 on third downs Friday night, but on fourth down the Jayhawks simply couldn't end drives.

On UNLV's second possession of the game, it converted a fourth-and-1 from its own 45 that resulted in a successful field goal try to get the Rebels on the board.

Then on the go-ahead touchdown drive, UNLV twice faced fourth-and-short situations inside the Kansas three-yard line and both times converted (there was an unnecessary roughness call after one conversion on UNLV that refreshed the downs but pushed the ball back in case you missed it).

Kansas was in position to make the one big play to shift the tide of the ball game and each time it had the chance to do so it failed.

That's why the Jayhawks will head to Morgantown, West Virginia next week with a 1-2 record and a whole lot of straightening up to do.

WATCH: Jalon Daniels Hits Spin Move for First Down vs. UNLV

Published Sep 13, 2024|Modified Sep 14, 2024

NICK SHEPKOWSKI