Kansas’ Third-Down Struggles Come Back to Hurt Jayhawks
Kansas’ 24-17 loss to Arizona State at Wembley Stadium was a game the Jayhawks had several opportunities to win, but their inability to consistently convert on third down played a major role in the result.
Kansas finished the game converting just 6 of 16 third-down attempts, a 37.5% conversion rate. While that number was not disastrous, the Jayhawks struggled to keep drives alive at important moments. Kansas also went 0-for-3 on fourth down, making it even more difficult to sustain possessions when third-down opportunities were missed.
The struggles were particularly frustrating because Kansas moved the football effectively throughout much of the game. The Jayhawks finished with 414 total yards, including 235 passing yards and 179 rushing yards. Kansas also recorded 22 first downs compared to Arizona State’s 13.
Despite those numbers, Kansas could not consistently turn its production into points.
One of the biggest problems came in the middle portions of the game. After Tate Nagy gave Kansas a 7-3 lead with his 72-yard punt return, the Jayhawks struggled to maintain their momentum. Arizona State eventually took a 10-7 lead late in the second quarter before extending the advantage to 17-7 on a 100-yard kickoff return to open the second half.
Kansas also had opportunities on fourth down that could have changed the game. With the Jayhawks trailing 17-7 in the third quarter, Kansas went for it on fourth-and-1 from the Arizona State 38-yard line, but Micah Johnson was stopped for no gain. Later in the quarter, Kansas attempted a 44-yard field goal but missed.
Those missed opportunities became even more important because Kansas’ defense was keeping the Jayhawks within striking distance. Arizona State managed only 228 total yards and converted just 4 of 17 third downs. Kansas’ defense repeatedly gave the offense chances to get back into the game.
Isaiah Marshall finished with 235 passing yards and a touchdown, while Dylan Edwards rushed for 89 yards. Nagy also continued making an impact, scoring both on special teams and through the passing game.
Kansas eventually cut the deficit to 24-17 late in the fourth quarter, but Arizona State was able to control the clock and finish the game.
For the Jayhawks, the loss showed that moving the football is not enough. Kansas will need to become more efficient on third down and capitalize on fourth-down opportunities when it returns from its bye week to face Middle Tennessee on Oct. 3.
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Jimmy Adeniran is a contributor to JayhawksROUNDTABLE. He can be reached at [email protected]
