Kansas Jayhawks suffer another upset loss, fall to UNLV Rebels 23-20
The Kansas Jayhawks were upset again on Friday night, with the UNLV Rebels handing them their second consecutive loss and first home defeat of the year 23-20.
KU led for most of the contest after scoring on its first three possessions, including two rushing touchdowns by senior quarterback Jalon Daniels. The Jayhawks led 17-6 with less than a minute remaining in the second quarter when, just like in last week’s loss to the Illinois Fighting Illini, disaster struck.
Daniels threw his first of two interceptions with Kansas in UNLV territory, which safety Jalen Catalon returned to the KU 33-yard line. Two plays later, UNLV quarterback Matthew Sluka connected with running back Jai’Den Thomas for a score as time expired to trim the deficit to four points.
Both offenses slowed down and both defenses stepped up considerably after the break, with the Jayhawks and Rebels adding just a field goal each several minutes into the fourth quarter.
UNLV followed the final Kansas score with an 18-play drive that devoured 9:31 of clock. On fourth down and goal from the 1-yard line, running back Kylin James pushed through a mass of humanity into the end zone for the final and decisive score, bumping the Jayhawks to their worst record through three games since 2021, their first year under coach Lance Leipold.
Daniels finished the game 12-of-24 passing for 153 yards and two interceptions, tacking on another 65 rushing yards with two scores. He now has six interceptions this season. For comparison, he had just seven interceptions over his previous 13 games.
“I’m not worried about his work ethic or his film study or where it’s going to go from here,” Leipold said about his quarterback. “We’ve just got to find that groove again.”
Senior running back Devin Neal went over 100 yards again, racking up 120 yards over 23 carries. He’s gone over 100 yards in five of his last six games, and now trails June Henley by just 431 yards for the all-time Kansas rushing record.
Sluka went 7-of-18 passing for 86 yards and a touchdown in the win and was also the game’s leading rusher with 124 yards.
The Jayhawks will open Big 12 play next weekend on the road against the West Virginia Mountaineers. That game is set for an 11:00 a.m. kickoff on Sept. 21.
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