LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Devin Neal rushed for 154 yards on just 12 carries and Daniel Hishaw ran for another 134 yards and two touchdowns as Kansas dominated UCF 51-22 in a Big 12 Conference battle on Saturday.
On the day Kansas inducted Tony Sands, the school's second all-time leading rusher, into the ring of honor, Neal passed four players to move into ninth on the all-time list as the Jayhawks (5-1, 2-1 Big 12) rushed for 399 yards.
UCF (3-3, 0-3 Big 12) welcomed back starting quarterback John Rhys Plumlee, who missed three games with an undisclosed leg injury. He was just 3-of-7 for 33 yards. Backup Timmy McClain was 12-of-15 for 136 yards and two scores.
Kansas was without its starting quarterback, Jalon Daniels, for the second straight week and third time this season. Daniels, the preseason Big 12 offensive player of the year, missed the game with a back injury. Backup Jason Bean was 8-of-12 for 91 yards.
Already up 24-0 at intermission, Neal took a handoff on the first play from scrimmage in the second half and raced 75 yards untouched for a 31-0 lead.
The Knights finally reached the end zone on a four-play, 75-yard drive in the third quarter. McClain hit Alec Holler with a 13-yard touchdown pass. The 2-point conversion failed.
Kansas responded with a 75-yard drive to stretch the lead to 37-8. Dylan McDuffie punched in from the 1-yard line. The extra point attempt was botched and UCF returned it 91 yards for 2 points.
UCF cut it to 37-15 with a touchdown by RJ Harvey. Hishaw's second touchdown gave the Jayhawks a 44-15 lead. UCF's final touchdown was a 23-yard pass from McClain to Randy Pittman.
Kansas got a 25-yard Seth Keller field goal on its first drive. Bean found Lawrence Arnold for a 5-yard touchdown pass on the third play of the second quarter to put Kansas up 10-0. Hishaw extended the lead with a 3-yard touchdown run midway through the second quarter and Trevor Wilson returned a punt 82 yards for a touchdown and a 24-0 lead.
THE TAKEAWAY
UCF: the Knights are still stinging from blowing a 35-7 lead over Baylor late in the third quarter. UCF gave up 60 straight points, 29 straight to lose 36-35 to Baylor and 31 straight to start this game.
Kansas: the Jayhawks didn't let a tough loss at Texas last week carry over. The Jayhawks dominated from the start.
UP NEXT
UCF: the Knights are off next weekend before traveling to play Oklahoma in Norman on Oct. 21.
Kansas: the Jayhawks will face Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Okla., next Saturday.
