Kansas football vs. Nevada recap: Jayhawks win to start the 2023 season 3-0

RENO, Nevada — Kansas football’s 2023 season continued Saturday with a matchup on the road against Nevada.

The Jayhawks came into the game after wins at home against Missouri State and Illinois. The Wolf Pack came into the game after losses against USC on the road and Idaho at home. Kansas head coach Lance Leipold and his team wrapped up their non-conference slate with this matchup.

Did junior quarterback Jalon Daniels start again for the Jayhawks and lead them to another win? Did Nevada spoil Kansas’ fast start and send the Jayhawks home with a disappointing defeat? Kansas entered this contest as the clear favorite to win.

Kansas game time, TV channel, betting odds today against Nevada

Kickoff: 9:30 p.m. (CT)

TV: CBS Sports Network

Betting odds: Kansas by 28 points

Kansas football at Nevada recap

FINAL: Kansas 31, Nevada 24

Kansas scores again with Devin Neal

Kansas running back Devin Neal is having himself quite the night, and scored again on a three-yard rushing score. This touchdown came with 6:20 left in the fourth quarter. After the extra point, the Jayhawks lead 31-24.

Nevada drives for another score

This game is tied up again, after Nevada quarterback Brendon Lewis scored another touchdown. This one came on a two-yard scamper. And after the extra point, Kansas and Nevada are tied up at 24-24 with 10:37 left in the fourth quarter.

END 3Q: Kansas 24, Nevada 17

Kansas scores quickly

Not even a minute after Kansas allowed Nevada to tie the score, the Jayhawks are back in the lead off of a one-yard touchdown run by Devin Neal. Neal had nearly scored earlier during the drive on a long catch and run. But either way, Kansas leads 24-17 with 3:00 left in the third quarter.

Nevada ties it back up

Kansas' defense has struggled at times during this game to contain Nevada's mobile quarterback, and this time that issue resulted in a six-yard touchdown run by the Wolf Pack's Brendon Lewis. Nevada isn't going anywhere just yet, after that drive that went 65 yards in four plays and took 1:34 off of the clock. After the extra point, the score is tied at 17-17 with 3:33 left in the third quarter.

Kansas takes the lead again

Jayhawks running back Daniel Hishaw Jr. nearly fumbled the ball away on this drive, but Kansas recovered and at drive's end Hishaw was back in to score on a one-yard touchdown run. After the extra point, the Jayhawks lead 17-10 with 5:07 left in the third quarter. Kansas has an opportunity here to pull away.

HALFTIME: Kansas 10, Nevada 10

Nevada ties the score

On a three-yard rushing touchdown by running back Sean Dollars, Nevada was able to put itself in position to tie the score. The extra point made it a 10-10 game with 0:25 left in the second quarter. The drive took 4:55 off of the clock and went 78 yards in 10 plays.

Kansas connects on its own field goal

Kansas kicker Seth Keller hit a 44-yard field goal with 8:55 left in the second quarter to put his side up 10-3, after a 13-play and 47-yard drive that took 5:54 off of the clock. Keller continues to be a reliable talent for the Jayhawks. But Nevada remains just one score down deep into the first half.

Nevada puts a dent in Kansas' lead

The Wolf Pack have scored, with placekicker Brandon Talton connecting on a 42-yard field goal. With 14:49 left in the second quarter, the Jayhawks' lead has been cut to 7-3. Kansas forced multiple fumbles on this drive, which took four minutes off of the clock and went 24 yards in nine plays, but didn't recover any of them.

END 1Q: Kansas 7, Nevada 0

Kansas opens the scoring

The Jayhawks struck first in this one, scoring on a three-yard touchdown run by running back Devin Neal. That wrapped up a drive that went 75 yards in nine plays. After the 5:14 drive and extra point, Kansas leads 7-0 with 9:46 left in the first quarter.

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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. Nevada recap: Jayhawks win to earn 3-0 start