Kansas 19, Texas A&M 11

Oct. 27, 2007

COLLEGE STATION, Texas --Brandon McAnderson rushed for a career-high 183 yards and two touchdowns as ninth-ranked Kansas improved to 8-0 for the first time since 1909 with a 19-11 win over Texas A&M.

Todd Reesing went 21-for-33 for 180 yards and the Jayhawks' fifth-ranked defense did the rest, holding the Aggies to 127 yards and six first downs through three quarters. A&M gained 191 yards in the fourth quarter, after the Jayhawks built a 19-0 lead.

Kansas improved to 4-0 in the Big 12 for the first time, snapped a seven-game losing streak to A&M and won in Texas for the first time since 2001. The Jayhawks have reached eight victories for just the 12th time in school history.

Kansas played a lightweight nonconference schedule and skeptics were still waiting to see if these Jayhawks were legitimate. Though it got close at the end, this performance should silence many doubters.

The Jayhawks held the Aggies' fifth-ranked rushing offense to 56 yards through three quarters, dominating A&M's offensive line. That left the Aggies to rely on their 111th-ranked passing game, which didn't start clicking until the very end, when the Jayhawks were willing to give up short passes.

A&M's Stephen McGee finished 24-for-44 for 244 yards, but most of the completions came in the last quarter. The Aggies (6-3, 3-2) had minus-9 yards in the third quarter, when Kansas started to build the lead.

The Aggies avoided their first home shutout since 1971 when Matt Szymanski kicked a 21-yard field goal with 7:20 left.

McGee threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to freshman Roger Holland with 2:06 remaining and ran for a 2-point conversion to make it 19-11. Raimond Pendleton recovered an onside kick, but A&M got the ball back with 52 seconds left.

McGee hit tight end Martellus Bennett near midfield, but two desperation heaves to the end zone fell incomplete.

NOTES...

• The scoreless first half by both teams was a first at Kyle Field since 1993 when A&M and LSU battled to a 0-0 halftime score. The Aggies went on to a 24-0 victory against the Tigers.
• The third-quarter field goal by Kansas broke a string of four scoreless quarters by the Aggie defense dating back to halftime of the Nebraska game.
• The fourth-down stop of Jorvorskie Lane in the second quarter marked the first time this season that the J-Train has not produced a first down or touchdown on a fourth-down carry. On his three previous fourth-down carries, Lane produced two first downs and one touchdown.
• Tonight's attendance of 85,341 increased the Aggies' home attendance to 81,199, which is just off the average record attendance of 82,711 in 2001.
• The fourth-quarter turnover by the Aggies (bad shotgun snap from Cody Wallace to Stephen McGee) was A&M's first giveaway since the fourth quarter of the Texas Tech game, a span of seven quarters.
• A&M's record fell to 0-3 in games when the Aggies have an even or minus turnover margin. During the Franchione era, the Aggies are 7-23 in games without the turnover advantage.
• Tight end Martellus Bennett's fourth-quarter catch gave him at least one catch in 26 straight games, which matches the school record originally set by A&M's all-time leading receiver Terrence Murphy from 2003-05. Bennett finished with 8 catches for 91 yards, a career high for receptions and his second most receiving yards of the year (98 vs. Louisiana-Monroe). His previous high for receptions was 6 vs. ULM earlier this year and last season against Kansas and Nebraska.
• Stephen McGee completed 24-of-44 passes for 244 yards, setting season highs for completions, attempts and yards. He was one completion and attempt shy of matching his career bests (25-of-45 last year at Kansas).
• Kansas tied its season low with just 19 points against the A&M defense. The Jayhawks also scored 19 last week against Colorado.
• Kansas had 407 yards of total offense, its second fewest of the season (KU had 333 last week at Colorado).
• A&M came into the game averaging 260.1 rushing yards per game but was held to just 74 yards (27 rushes) by the Jayhawks, its fewest since 2004, when the Aggies gained just 31 yards on 25 totes against Texas. The last time A&M had fewer rushing yards at Kyle Field was against Missouri in 2002 (36 yards on 31 carries).
• The loss was A&M's first at Kyle Field in 2007, ending a five-game home winning streak.

   

Post-Game Quotes

Texas A&M Postgame Quotes

SENIOR WIDE RECEIVER EARVIN TAYLOR: "We have to tip our hat to Kansas. They played a good game and did it at Kyle Field. Our comeback was a little too late. We had a good push in the fourth (quarter), but it was just too late. We just have to bounce back next week."

JUNIOR DEFENSIVE BACK DEVIN GREGG: "It was a disappointing loss for us. We had high hopes for this game. Kansas played a great game. We have to give them a lot of credit. Our defense played hard. We made stops and kept them out of the endzone. We knew we were going to have to play four quarters. We knew it was going to be a physical game."

SENIOR TIGHT END JOEY THOMAS: "The offense couldn't get things started in the first half. I like how we fought in the end. Martellus (Bennett) fought really hard. He was going up and taking the ball out of defenders' hands. Defense played awesome. They did everything we asked them to. Kansas is a good team. We have to give them credit. This is disappointing."

JUNIOR DEFENSIVE END CYRIL OBIOZOR: "The defense came out of applying pressure, but we let them score too many points. At this point, we have to keep moving forward. That's all we can do."

HEAD COACH DENNIS FRANCHIONE: (On the team's offensive struggles...) "They (Kansas) won the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. That really was the deciding factor of the game. I never would have thought we would have rushed less than 100 yards. You have to give credit to their defense. They defended us really well. They got off blocks and made plays and we didn't. You have to give Kansas their do. That's as well as we have been defended all year."

Kansas Postgame Quotes

SENIOR RUNNING BACK BRANDON McANDERSON: (On the game...) "Our offensive line did what they had to do and we found some holes. We were a little frustrated in the first half that we couldn't score. We have a mature and talented team that stuck together and pulled out a victory."

SOPHOMORE QUARTERBACK TODD REESING: (On the victory...) "It was a team effort. Our defense and offensive line played great. We really gashed the running game which opened up the passing game. The 8-0 experience is awesome. We still have a long way to go and we haven't reached our goal. We are playing as a team and a program. We never give up and we never stop fighting. During the first half, we moved the ball well. We just couldn't find a way to get the ball in the endzone. We got enough in the second half to win and that's all that matters."

KANSAS HEAD COACH MARK MANGINO: (On the team's strategy leading up the game...) "We felt like in order for us to win, we had to make them throw the ball. You have to give credit to (Texas A&M quarterback) Stephen McGee. He can throw the ball when he needs to. Our defense played well and made plays when they had to. We felt good at halftime. We felt our offense was moving the ball well and our defense was playing well, too. We thought it was just a matter of time when we punch them in."

(On the team's defense...) "Our defense came out and tried to force them to do things that they normally don't do. I'm confident in our defense. We played the run extremely well. We were using a lot of kids. They (Texas A&M) make a living out of running the ball. That's why we tried to make them to throw the ball. When we held them on fourth down that was a big play. (Texas A&M running back) Jorvorskie (Lane) is known for tough yardage."