The prolific night of Pooka Williams is not enough in the defeat of KU against Oklahoma No. 6

Norman, Oklahoma – The first night of a national rookie touched the Kansas football team on Saturday night with Oklahoma No. 6 and one of the country's top players. quarterback Kyler Murray, facing the Jayhawks.

KU's running backhand Pooka Williams was 321 yards rushing, scoring two touchdowns and even another goal. All this, plus a pair of takeaways from the Jayhawks' defense, added only a 55-40 loss to the Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, ahead of a reported crowd of 86,371.

Was it the prime time game under the lights that fueled Williams' latest magic? Not according to his coach, David Beaty.

"I think he's playing as hard as he can every day. Here's the deal: this kid is getting better every week because he works there, "said Beaty. "He likes the game and continues to work on it. … He is a special player. "

After the OU scored 18 points in the last minute of the third quarter, the Jayhawks relied on their confident rookie who was coming back to do more than they usually asked him to do.

After Williams' 45-yard run to finish the third, KU opened the final quarter to 11 yards from the end zone. In the second shot of the fourth inning, after some confusion in the KU and a timeout, the offense returned to the field with Carter Stanley at quarterback instead of starter Peyton Bender (19-in-27 passes, 167 yards).

But Williams would do the passes. After the transfer, Williams continued to move right when he glanced at senior receiver Jeremiah Booker, heading to the back right corner of the end zone. Williams may have led Booker a little too far with his throw, but the veteran has still dropped one foot in the limits to complete the touchdown and give KU one last hope.

"It's so much fun to be around," said Beaty about the Louisiana rookie. "He brings so much energy to this team. He surprised me with this pass. It was his best pitch, even in practice. It never looked like that and he made a great pitch and I thought Book had a great catch. Proud of them to continue to fight. "

And although Williams did not finish there, OR puts the game out of reach for the next two minutes.

Heisman Trophy candidate Murray, Murray (272 yards, 99 rushing yards, five touchdowns) defeated KU Bryce Torneden's junior security on the open field and then jumped out of everyone wearing a white jersey for a 75 yard rushing score.

KU led 41-24, but KU's chance to recover was a fatal blow to the Jayhawks' upcoming offensive possession. After an unsuccessful series of visitors, Sooners' Brayden Willis blocked Kyle Thompson's kick and Curtis Bolton took advantage of a 9-yard touchdown and, further to an extra point, got a cushion from 48-24.

The near impossibility of a return, however, does not seem to confuse Williams. His masterpiece continued on the next set, as his patience, cut, and speed allowed him a 42-yard touchdown.

"Dude, it's a monster," Beaty said. "It's as good a player as I've ever been around me."

Kansas scored more points than ever before in the Big 12 with Beaty, the fourth-year outgoing coach. And visitors have even scored 14 points of business numbers.

However, they did not have the last piece of a winning formula, as the Jayhawks had not made enough defensive stops.

Oklahoma (566 yards) scored 9-10 on the third run and scored eight touchdowns for 11 possessions.

"A big part of that is Kyler Murray," said Beaty. "He's a talented guy. How many plays did he play in crisis situations and 3rd and long? "

Redshirt senior linebacker Joe Dineen Jr. (14 tackles in total) explained what was wrong with KU's defense.

"Honestly, the offense did everything it needed. They held the ball. They maintained possession and obviously they scored a lot of points. The defense just needs to go up and play more games. "Dineen started, adding that the OU playmakers have exploited KU defenders in bad positions." Credit to them – obviously, they have guys and Kyler, he was fast, dude He was a different animal. "

Murray's rare bad decision in the opening OU series of the second half fueled the Jayhawks' dream of a really special night. KU senior cornerback Shak Taylor skied for a pass from Murray to the left touchline.

And for the second time of the night, the KU offensive allowed the Sooners to pay for their present.

Williams should have tackled who knows how many times on a wild and winding race that highlighted the upcoming series. And Khalil Herbert's 3 km goal helped KU reduce the score to 21-17.

Of course, a goal from the Sooners 77 yards in response, which resulted in one of five total touchdowns by Murray, allowed the Top 10 team to get back on the track.

KU led 10-7 with a 45-yard placement from Oklahoma's Gabriel Rui, but the advance was not held for three minutes.

Murray made his best throw of the night to put the USS back in the lead with a 20-yard pass to Carson Meier, an equally open player.

KU junior goalkeeper Mike Lee (total of nine tackles) assured the big-booty of a hot start that he stole when he stole Kennedy Brooks from OU on first base and scored the goal on goal. first round of Sooners.

Oklahoma was about to take an immediate lead before Lee released the ball just as Brooks crashed near the 10-meter KU line. Then, the defensive back of New Orleans plunged into the grass to win the ball in the fray.

"This has created a great momentum for both sides of the ball," Lee said.

Even better for the Jayhawks, they actually turned the selling into points, although that was not easy: the KU halves gave the following appearance.

In what turned out to be an offensive omen, the Jayhawks rely on their running game on the next set. The sophomore Dom Williams had 19 rushing yards, junior Khalil had 5 on the ground and 7 more on a catch, and Pooka Williams was going to the OU with the rooks of 39 and 23 yards, the second of which was crowned at 93- The TD mark played in the seventh game of the series, placing the long-losing Big 12 program up 7-0.

KU's quick lead did not last long as the Sooners reacted with a TD double and a dreaded cover at the secondary KU leading to a 40-yard Murray pass from Lee Morris. Two snapshots later, Murray scared potential forwards with his not stuttering and ran for a 7-yard touchdown.

The 13 KU races for 117 yards in the first quarter – against just four passes for 28 yards – proved to be a crucial part of her upset potential.

The Kansas offense ended with 348 yards rushing and 524 total offensive yards in defeat.

The Jayhawks' season – and the Beaty era – ends on Friday, when Texas will visit the David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.