TicketsLAWRENCE, Kan. – Cincinnati was unfazed by Kansas’ late touchdown and lead, answering with a 10-play, 75-yard scoring drive that was capped by Tawee Walker’s two-yard score, stunning Kansas’ sold-out crowd in a 37-34 win on Saturday afternoon at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.
Noah Jennings’ one-handed catch-and-run on 4th-and-10 with a minute left kept the Bearcats’ hopes alive and brought them into KU territory. Back-to-back completions pushed it to the red zone, and Tawee Walker darted 17 yards up the middle to reach the Kansas 2 with 32 seconds left, scoring on the very next play.
Kansas’ aforementioned late lead was its first since the opening minutes, coming by way of a 6-yard touchdown pass with 1:45 remaining.
The Bearcats were also without All-American nose tackle Dontay Corleone in a contest that featured exactly 1,200 combined yards.
Brendan Sorsby finished 29-of-43 for 388 yards and two touchdowns, completing passes to nine different Bearcats. Cyrus Allen’s 11 catches were a career-high to go with 128 yards. Evan Pryor (90 yards) and Walker (73) carried the run game on a combined 24 carries, while Sorsby had 13 for 52.
First Quarter
After a 53-yard Max Fletcher punt pinned Kansas back at their own 7-yard line, Jayhawks quarterback Jalon Daniels found receiver Emmanel Henderson sprinting down the sideline for a 93-yard touchdown on the home team’s first play from scrimmage.
The Bearcats answered with a 13-play 75-yard drive, converting two fourth downs on the series. Sorsby found sophomore Isaiah Johnson for a 33-yard reception that set up a 1-yard touchdown rush by running back Tawee Walker to tie the game, 7-7, at the 6:10 mark in the first quarter.
Second Quarter
Kicker Stephen Rusnak drilled a 29-yard field goal to cap an 11-play 61-yard drive to start the second quarter. Kansas answered with a field goal of its own – a 27-yarder from Laith Marjan – to make the score 10-10 with 10 minutes left in the first half.
The Bearcats quickly marched down the field on their first full possession of the second quarter with Sorsby finding senior receiver Cyrus Allen for a 10-yard touchdown to put UC back in front 17-10 at the 7:09 mark in the second quarter.
The two teams traded field goals at the end of quarter with Marjan making a 35-yarder at the 3:15 mark and Rusnak hitting a 43-yader as time expired. Rusnak’s field goal was set up by a 46-yard run from running back Evan Pryor.
Cincinnati led 20-13 at halftime.
Third Quarter
Kansas tied the game, 20-20, when Danield found tight end Boden Groen for a 20-yard touchdown on the Jayhawks’ first possession of the second half.
Cincinnati regained the lead with a 14-yard touchdown pass from Sorsby to Allen to make the score 27-20 at the 8:54 mark in the third quarter.
Kansas answered right back when Daniels found Henderson – again – for a 75-yard touchdown to tie the game 27-27 10 seconds later.
Sophomore tight end Gavin Grover’s first career catch went for 33 yards and he nearly found paydirt, but he was stopped at the 1. After Walker’s 1-yard TD run was called back due to a holding penalty, Cincinnati settled for a 24-yard field goal from Rusnak and took a 30-27 lead into the fourth quarter.
Fourth Quarter
Kansas drove down to the Cincinnati 2-yard line and looked to take the lead, but safety Antwan Peek Jr. forced a fumble on Daniels and recovered it to give the Bearcats the ball back.
The Jayhawks converted a fourth down by inches before the 2-minute timeout at the UC 21. It led to Daniels lofting a six-yard pass to a standing Levi Wentz in the back of the endzone with 1:45 left.
Sorsby’s 38-yard completion to Johnson down to the KU 27 was negated after it was ruled he stepped out of bounds before the catch. Still, Jennings’ miraculous grab, followed by its succeeding completions and Walker’s two clutch carries did the rest.
UP NEXT
Cincinnati returns to a sold-out Historic Nippert Stadium to host Iowa State on Saturday, Oct. 4.