Texas 21, Kansas 17
LAWRENCE, Kan. - Backup quarterback Case McCoy hit D.J. Grant on a one-yard touchdown pass with 12 seconds remaining, helping Texas escape an embarrassing upset on Saturday against Kansas.
The No. 23 Longhorns (6-2, in the 4-2 Big 12) escaped with a 21-17 victory despite a multitude of errors that had Kansas (1-7, 0-5) poised to snap a 16-game losing streak in conference play.
Texas trailed, 17-14, when Nick Prolago of Kansas kicked a 29-yard field goal with 2:33 remaining.
McCoy, inserted in place of starter David Ash, hit Jaxon Shipley on fourth down to prolong Texas' final drive, then connected with Mike Davis for 39 yards to give the Longhorns first-and-goal at the Kansas three-yard-line.
After Kansas stuffed two running plays, McCoy found Grant alone in the end zone on a third-down pass.
Texas avoided a third loss in four games, despite seeing its defense gashed again, this time by a Kansas rushing attack that churned out 234 yards.
Junior James Sims ran for a career-high 176 yards for the Jayhawks, who alleviated pressure on freshman quarterback Michael Cummings, who threw only four passes after the first quarter.
After struggling for most of the game, Texas broke through with an 11-yard touchdown run by Marquise Goodwin that tied the game, 14-14, with 9:41 remaining in the game.
That drive came with McCoy at quarterback in place of Ash, who completed 8-of-16 passes for 63 yards with two interceptions.
The Jayhawks responded with a 14-play drive culminating in a 29-yard field goal from Prolago, who entered the game 0-for-1 on field-goal attempts in his career.
Kansas gave Texas multiple chances, but the Longhorns couldn't capitalize.
The third quarter was particularly frustrating for the Longhorns, who couldn't score after the Jayhawks muffed a punt at their own 20-yard line.
Kansas thwarted that drive by stuffing Joe Bergeron on the one-yard-line, then dodged a bullet when Sims fumbled at the goal line.
Texas returned to the red zone on its next trip, but Lubbock Smith of Kansas intercepted a pass that deflected off the hands of Mike Davis on third down.
Kansas didn't start like a team primed for an upset.
The Jayhawks mishandled the opening kickoff, took a delay-of-game penalty and allowed a sack on their first drive, setting up Texas at the Kansas 43-yard line.
The Longhorns capitalized, getting a 31-yard run from Johnathan Gray on their first play from scrimmage and a three-yard touchdown from Joe Bergeron for a 7-0 lead.
The Jayhawks answered by driving to the Texas five-yard line, but an errant snap and a sack derailed a scoring opportunity. Facing fourth-and-goal from the 29, Cummings launched a pass into the end zone that fell incomplete.
The Jayhawks appeared to be in more trouble after Texas downed a punt at the two-yard line, but Kansas responded with a 98-yard touchdown drive to tie the game.
Sims keyed the drive with a 64-yard run, followed by a 15-yard horse-collar penalty and a 15-yard touchdown run by Christian Matthews.
Kansas went ahead 14-7 on an 11-yard touchdown run by Tony Pierson, and Greg Brown preserved the halftime lead by intercepting an underthrown pass by Ash.
The Jayhawks amassed 177 rushing yards in the first half, including 139 on 14 carries for Sims.
NOTES: Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby was in attendance. ... Kansas running back James Sims topped 100 yards on the ground for a fourth consecutive game. ... Texas linebacker Jordan Hicks missed a fifth straight game because of injury. ... Freshman Damon Martin drew his first start at left guard in place of senior Duane Zlatnik for Kansas.
