KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Devin Neal ran for 112 yards and two touchdowns on eight first-half carries and No. 22 Kansas beat Lindenwood 48-3 on Thursday night in the opener for both teams.
Kansas outscored Lindenwood 27-0 in the second quarter at Children’s Mercy Park. Lindenwood, in its third year as an FCS program, played its first game against an FBS opponent.
Daniels, who played only in the first half for Kansas, was 9 of 15 for 148 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
“For the first game, it was about what I hoped for,” Kansas coach Lance Leipold said. “I thought Jalon (Daniels) played really well. I thought Devin and Daniel (Hishaw) ran the ball hard. I thought all our backs ran the ball hard.
“I thought the defense was solid. There are still some things with communication where we’ve got to be better. It was a good night, but there are some things as we step up and play a Big Ten opponent (Illinois) next, we’ve got to be better.”
The Jayhawks are playing home games in Kansas City — two at Children’s Mercy Park and four at Arrowhead Stadium — because of stadium renovations.
“I thought the atmosphere was great at the beginning of the game,” Leipold said. “There was energy. After a few of those big plays, in the second half it tapered down a little bit.”
Lindenwood averted a shutout with a 34-yard field goal by Logan Seibert with 6:12 left.
After forcing a three-and-out on Lindenwood’s first series, Kansas marched 65 yards in nine plays for its first touchdown. Neal punched it in from the 5. Kansas had to convert a fourth-and-3 on the drive.
But that’s all the offense Kansas could muster in the first quarter. Lindenwood ran 20 plays in the first quarter, compared to just 12 for Kansas, and the Lions held the ball for almost 10 minutes.
Turnovers hurt Kansas early in the first half. Quentin Skinner fumbled on Kansas’ second drive. Daniels then threw an interception, ending the Jayhawks’ third drive early in the second quarter.
Luke Grimm said he and Daniels read different coverages, but Daniels took the blame.
“Luke read the defense perfectly,” Daniels said. “That play was on me. I have to give props to the DB for making that play.”
Neal gave the Jayhawks a 14-0 lead in the second quarter on a 1-yard scamper, capping a seven-play, 85-yard drive.
Mello Dotson put Kansas up 20-0 with an interception return. He stepped in front of a pass on the right sideline and raced 33 yards untouched. The extra point caromed off the upright.
“At the beginning of that play, the quarterback was staring down his receiver,” Dotson said. “He gave him a sign to run the out route. I saw the quarterback give him that sign and I knew the ball was coming my way.”
Daniels then hit Grimm with a 58-yard touchdown strike to extend the lead to 27-0, vindicating Daniels.
“I just had to forget the (bad) play and make sure my next throw was the right throw.”
Hishaw’s 1-yard run with 4 seconds left in the half made it 34-0.
The takeaway
Lindenwood saw the difference between the two levels of Division I in the trenches. The Lions averaged just 3.5 yards per play, compared to 8.2 yards per play for Kansas. Kansas will need to address the turnovers on offense as the quality of opponent ramps up next week.
Up next
Lindenwood: Hosts Central Arkansas on Saturday, Sept. 7.
Kansas: At Illinois on Saturday, Sept. 7.
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