Sanders, No. 15 Oklahoma State Roll Over Kansas

Spencer Sanders threw for 157 yards and two touchdowns, while also rushing for 53 yards and a score, all in the first half, to lead No. 15 Oklahoma State to a dominating 55-3 victory over Kansas on Saturday night.

Jaylen Warren added 69 yards rushing on just nine carries and backup running back Dominic Richardson gained 79 yards and a touchdown on 11 rushes for Oklahoma State (7-1, 4-1 Big 12).

After suffering their first loss, 24-21 to Iowa State, last week, the Cowboys responded dominating Kansas on both sides of the ball.

It was a rough day for Kansas (1-7, 0-5), which lost its seventh consecutive contest. Backup quarterback Miles Kendrick, who entered the game in the third quarter with the Jayhawks trailing 45-0, led them with 32 yards rushing on nine carries.

One week after an outstanding performance in which Kansas led No. 4 Oklahoma 17-7 late in the third quarter before the Sooners rallied for a 35-23 triumph, the Jayhawks looked more like their usual selves in this one.

Oklahoma State, which hadn’t scored more than 32 points this season and averaged 25.7, led 38-0 at halftime and held a 331-49 advantage in yards. Kansas didn’t achieve a first down until about six minutes into the third quarter, when the Cowboys already led 45-0.

Overall, Oklahoma State, which inserted its backups late in the second quarter, outgained Kansas 535 yards to 143.

TAKEAWAY

Kansas: After strong showing last week in their loss to Oklahoma, when he completed 17 of 23 passes for 246 yards and a touchdown, quarterback Jason Bean struggled mightily. Two of his first three pass attempts were intercepted, leading directly to 10 Oklahoma State points, as the Cowboys took a 17-0 lead early in second quarter. Bean ended up completed three of 10 passes for 10 yards, while gaining 24 yards on nine carries before he was replaced after halftime by Kendrick. In addition to leading the team in rushing, Kendrick completed 6 of 8 passes for 34 yards, with one interception.

Oklahoma State: The Cowboys entered the game struggling in third quarters, getting outscored 44-3 in the period this season. It took one possession, with backups in on offense, for them to score their first third quarter touchdown, when Bryson Green caught a 12-yard pass from Shane Illingworth. Oklahoma State ended up outscoring Kansas 7-3 in the third.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

The victory means Oklahoma State will stay in the Top 25, and because it was such a convincing victory, they might move up a spot or two.

UP NEXT

Kansas: The Jayhawks return home to face in-state rivals Kansas State next Saturday.

Oklahoma State: The Cowboys travel to Morgantown next Saturday to take on West Virginia, which just defeated No. 22 Iowa State.