Kansas wins first road game since 2009, ends NCAA-record winless streak
Kansas’ road winless streak has stopped at 46 games.
The Jayhawks beat Central Michigan 31-7 on Saturday to break an NCAA streak for futility on the road. It also snaps a 49-game streak of losses in games not at Kansas’ Memorial Stadium when you include three neutral site losses to Missouri.
Instagram didn’t exist the last time KU won on the road
Before Saturday’s game at Central Michigan, Kansas’ last road game victory came when the newest iPhone was the 3GS. Barack Obama was in his first year as President of the United States. The New England Patriots were trying to get back to the playoffs after missing out the previous season. Instagram did not exist.
Yes, that year was 2009. The date of that win was Sept. 12. The opponent was UTEP, a team the Jayhawks beat 34-7. Kansas’ coach was Mark Mangino.
Kansas’ coach in 2018 is David Beaty. He’s the third full-time coach since Mangino was fired at the end of that season. Beaty’s future is up in the air with the team’s season-opening loss to Nicholls and former Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long now in charge of Kansas’ athletic department. But if Beaty has any hopes of staying as Kansas’ coach in 2019, Saturday is a strong mark in his favor.
Pooka Williams runs for 2 scores
Saturday was the first game for former four-star recruit Pooka Williams. The running back announced his presence with a big game. Williams scored two touchdowns and ran for over 100 yards as Kansas jumped out to a 21-0 lead in the third quarter. The game was the first time Kansas had led by 10 or more on the road since 2012.
There would be no blowing this lead in 2018. A pick-six restored the Jayhawks’ three-touchdown lead after CMU scored.
The win is a huge bounce back for the Jayhawks after an embarrassing defeat to an FCS opponent in Week 1. While Kansas isn’t going bowling in 2018 — if you can find four or five wins for the Jayhawks in the Big 12 you probably also think you’re going to win the lottery too — the victory gives Jayhawk fans reason to hope the team could have a two-game winning streak this season. Big Ten bottom-feeder Rutgers visits Lawrence in Week 3.
Social media reaction
The Lawrence Police Department tweeted out a celebratory message of its own while trying to preemptively stop any overzealous Jayhawks fans from doing anything crazy … like storming Kansas’ Memorial Stadium and trying to tear down the goalposts.
Alright folks, it’s been a while since KU won a road game, so let’s refresh everyone’s memory on how it works. Essentially if KU wins on the road, everyone celebrates by not breaking the law in any way. Let’s keep the tradition alive!
— Lawrence Police (@LawrenceKS_PD) September 8, 2018
No, that’s not what happens at all. You new here? Moved to Lawrence in the last decade? Also, this is evidence of premeditation. Cc: @KUPublicSafety https://t.co/8rFE8ZEruJ
— Lawrence Police (@LawrenceKS_PD) September 8, 2018
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Nick Bromberg is a writer for Yahoo Sports.
Follow @NickBromberg on Twitter
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