Kansas football vs. Missouri State recap: Jayhawks win season opener at home

LAWRENCE — Kansas football’s 2023 regular season began Friday at home against Missouri State.

The Jayhawks came into the game off the program’s first bowl season in more than a decade in 2022. They welcomed a Bears squad to Lawrence that went 5-6 last year, including a close loss on the road against the Arkansas Razorbacks. It was the first opportunity for KU head coach Lance Leipold and company to build off the momentum that’s been propelling them forward throughout the offseason.

Was junior quarterback Jalon Daniels healthy enough to lead Kansas’ offense in the way he did in 2022, and score routinely? Was the Jayhawks’ defense able to showcase how much more improved many have thought it has the potential to be? Those questions and more were answered.

Here's what happened during the game:

Kansas game time, TV channel, betting odds today vs. Missouri State

Kickoff: 7 p.m.

TV: ESPN+/Big 12 Now

Betting odds: Kansas by 32 points

Kansas football defensive coordinator Brian Borland is not at the game due to a personal matter

Kansas football vs. Missouri State recap

FINAL: Kansas 48, Missouri State 17

Sevion Morrison adds his own touchdown

Running back Sevion Morrison joined the scoring with a five-yard touchdown run for Kansas, and after the extra point the Jayhawks are up 48-17 with 4:57 left in the fourth quarter. The drive went 23 yards in four plays and took 2:13 off of the clock. It started in great field position because Kansas cornerback Kwinton Lassiter got an interception for the defense.

Kansas' Devin Neal scores another touchdown, this time on a reception

Running back Devin Neal caught a six-yard pass from quarterback Jason Bean on a fourth-down attempt to add another touchdown for the Jayhawks with 7:49 left in the fourth quarter. After the extra point, it's a 41-17 lead. The drive went 28 yards in five plays and took 2:21 off the clock — it started after an interception by Kansas cornerback Cobee Bryant.

Kansas extends its lead with another score

It might finally be time to let redshirt senior quarterback Jason Bean get some rest and get some other players some experience, as Kansas football just scored another touchdown. This one was a 24-yard touchdown run by running back Daniel Hishaw Jr., which after an extra point makes it a 34-17 lead for the Jayhawks with 10:18 left in the fourth quarter. The drive went 75 yards in eight plays and took 4:39 off of the clock.

Missouri State opens fourth quarter with touchdown

Jmariyae Robinson ran the ball in from five yards out for a touchdown for Missouri State, and after the extra point Kansas' lead is down to 27-17. There's 14:57 left in the fourth quarter. The Bears' drive went 75 yards in six plays and took 3:21 off of the clock.

END 3Q: Kansas 27, Missouri State 10

Kansas adds another field goal

To end a 10-play drive that went 55 yards and took 5:07 off of the clock, Seth Keller connected on a 35-yard field goal for Kansas to put the Jayhawks up 27-10. There's 3:18 left in the third quarter now. Kansas is firmly in control, but a penalty in the red zone might have cost them another touchdown here.

Kansas opens the second half with a touchdown drive

Dylan McDuffie has scored his first touchdown since transferring to join Kansas, as the redshirt senior running back rushed the ball 17 yards into the end zone. That finished off a drive that took 4:22 off of the clock and went 69 yards in nine plays. After the extra point, Kansas leads 24-10.

HALFTIME: Kansas 17, Missouri State 10

Kansas scores again, this time on a field goal

The Jayhawks lead 17-10 now, with 1:05 left in the second quarter. Seth Keller delivered on a 28-yard field goal. That finished off a drive that took 5:02 off of the clock and went 75 yards in 10 plays.

Kansas quickly retakes the lead, scoring to go up 14-10

Kansas didn't waste much time after going down for the first time this season, and scored a touchdown with 11:03 left in the second quarter on a 14-yard pass from Jason Bean to Luke Grimm. The drive went 75 yards in three plays and took 1:11 off of the clock. The Jayhawks lead 14-10 after the extra point.

Missouri State scores to take a 10-7 lead

Kansas' offense drove deep into Missouri State territory, just outside the red zone, but on a 4th-and-short conversion attempt came up short. The Bears then went the other way and took a 10-7 lead after a 37-yard field goal from Owen Rozanc with 12:14 left in the second quarter. The drive took 3:10 off of the clock and went 53 yards in seven plays.

END 1Q: Kansas 7, Missouri State 7

Missouri State ties the score at 7-7

Missouri State capitalized on a fumble by Kansas running back Daniel Hishaw Jr., and drove for the Bears' first touchdown of the day. It was a 10-play drive that went 46 yards and took 5:37 off the clock, ending with a two-yard touchdown pass from Jacob Clark to Jmariyae Robinson. After the extra point, the score is tied at 7-7 with 2:24 left in the first quarter.

Jason Bean gets the start at quarterback, Kansas scores on opening drive

Jalon Daniels had gone through warmups, but he doesn't get the start at quarterback. It appears the back issue he's dealing with will mean Kansas will turn to backup Jason Bean for now. And Bean just led the Jayhawks to a touchdown on their first drive of the game after their defense forced a 3-and-out.

Devin Neal scored on a 48-yard touchdown run with 11:11 remaining in the first quarter. Kansas leads 7-0 after the extra point. The drive went 70 yards in four plays and took 1:49 off of the clock.

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Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He is the National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas for 2022. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas football vs. Missouri State recap: Jayhawks win season opener