Longhorns win in a thriller
NO. 15 TEXAS 50, KANSAS 48 Dicker’s 33-yard field goal as time expires helps Texas avert huge upset to Jayhawks
AUSTIN – Kansas took the lead and a stadium sat stunned.
If not for the constant musical swirl springing from the sound system and Texas Longhorn Band, the full silent stupor of those inside Royal-Memorial Stadium would’ve been on display with about eight and a half minutes remaining in Saturday’s game. That’s right around the time Kansas – lowly, laughable, Les Miles-led Kansas – turned wideout Takulve Williams' 7-yard touchdown reception into a 17-14 advantage.
And perhaps if tailback Pooka Williams’ cleat was half a size smaller, a 32-yard sideline tight rope act would instead have been a how-did-he-do-that 57-yard touchdown dash and Kansas might have led 24-21 at halftime instead of trailing by four.
Still, most of those 97,137 fans probably retreated for halftime beverages and greasy concessions conjuring comforting thoughts of a second-half shellacking. They were Texas Strong; Kansas was still just Kansas.
That fantasy soon faded, though the Longhorns still came away victorious. Kicker Cameron Dicker came out and hit a gamewinning 33-yard field goal to lift No. 15 Texas (5-2, 3-1 Big 12) over Kansas (2-5, 0-4) 50-48.
Earlier this week, in the wake of a loss to Oklahoma, Texas defensive coordinator Todd Orlando implored himself, his staff and his defense to fight. To claw. To scratch. To show some pride and atone for half a season’s worth of mercurial play.
“To me, it’s always been when we’ve gotten in these spots is to put your hands up and figuratively fight and to work harder,” Orlando said.
If Texas was trying to send a message, Kansas wasn’t keen on listening. Neither was newly installed offensive coordinator Brent Dearmon.
The former head coach of highscoring NAIA program Bethel kept feeding Williams and allowing quarterback Carter Stanley to attack a porous secondary. There were no nerves for the senior signal-caller, who led the Jayhawks to a program-shattering upset of Texas three years ago as a redshirt freshman.
Even after Texas jumped out to a 14-0 lead on touchdowns by freshmen Roschon Johnson (14yard run) and Jake Smith (10-yard reception), Kansas looked like it was the one primed to scrape for a victory.
Williams blew through a Smart Car-sized gap in the line and dashed away from the defense until cornerback Anthony Cook finally dragged him down at the 11yard line. His 65-yard run setup a 23-yard field goal.
It didn’t help the Longhorns’ cause that they twice failed to convert on a fourth-and-2 try from inside Kansas territory. The Jayhawks capitalized both times, with Williams weaving his way in from 7 yards out and Takulve Williams hauling in Stanley’s touchdown toss.
Kansas nearly had an answer for Brennan Eagles’ 5-yard touchdown reception, but Texas linebacker Joseph Ossai slithered through the line to block a 37-yard field goal just before intermission.
Texas did little to diffuse the tension in the second half.
Kansas opened with a 14-play-75 yard drive that ended with Stanley selling a handoff to Williams before firing a dart to Stephon Robinson for a 9-yard touchdown.
Texas re-tied the game on Cameron Dicker’s 39-yard field goal and regained the lead on a 14-yard Devin Duvernay catch-and-run that featured key blocks from tight end Cade Brewer and wideout Collin Johnson. And with Texas up 31-24 with 14 minutes remaining, it looked like maybe now the home team could cruise to a win.
Instead, Kansas senior linebacker Najee Stevens-McKenzie intercepted an ill-timed Sam Ehlinger pass at the Texas 16-yard line. On the ensuing play, Williams shed a multitude of tacklers on another touchdown run.
The stadium’s shock swerved to joy when senior defensive end Malcolm Roach batted down the PAT with his left mitt, allowing corner D’Shawn Jamison to scoop it and run 95 yards for a defensive 2-point conversion. A game that could’ve been knotted at 31 instead became 33-30 Texas.
The Longhorns struck a critical blow, what in the past might have been a killing strike, on their next drive. Ehlinger threw a 43-yard scoring strike to Duvernay, his fourth touchdown pass of the day, and Kansas could muster only a 46-yard field goal in response. But Kansas wouldn’t bow out. KU recovered Smith’s fumble at the Texas 36-yard line and took advantage of the short field. Junior receiver Andrew Parchment made an acrobatic 11-yard touchdown catch along the sideline to tie the game at 40-40. The clock read 4:25. The stadium was just about catatonic.
Texas needed just 98 seconds to for tailback Keaontay Ingram to find the end zone with a 3-yard touchdown run.
Kansas needed just 96 seconds to answer, with Stanley hitting Robinson for a 22-yard touchdown. Rather than force overtime, the Jayhawks went for two and converted with a pass to wideout Daylon Charlot.
Ehligner answered with a Heisman-worthy drive of his own to set up Dicker’s game-winning kick.