Big 12 Power Rankings: Conference Charges Towards Wild Finish

Oct 19, 2013; Lawrence, KS, USA; Kansas Jayhawks running back

(29) is tackled by Oklahoma Sooners defensive back

(14) in the first half at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

9. Kansas Jayhawks

Record: 2-4 (0-3)

Previous Ranking: 9

Last Week: Oklahoma 34, Kansas 19

This Week: vs #8 Baylor

Next Week: at Texas

Kansas was finally able to get James Sims going. Granted it was only in the first quarter where the Jayhawks totaled about 80% of their offensive production, but, still, there were some signs of life from Sims.

Sims had 129 yards rushing on 23 carries for two touchdowns. His early work plus a touchdown pass from Jake Heaps gave Kansas an early 13-0 lead over the Sooners in the second quarter.

It was all downhill from there.

Oklahoma scored 25 unanswered points and help Kansas to 16 yards passing for the game in route to crushing any kind of upset hopes the Jayhawks may have been entertaining. OU also forced two missed extra points, returning one of them for two points, and blocked a punt for a safety.

There are a few ways to look a this. Kansas had an awful special teams day that cost them 6 points and had 5 total yards out of their quarterbacks Jake Heaps and Montell Cozart. Yet they still were within a possession of Oklahoma in the fourth quarter.

On the other hand… Kansas had 16 passing yards, five total yards from their quarterbacks, and gave up six points on special teams miscues.

Kansas is so close, yet so far away, from being just a bad team as opposed to an awful one.