KU (5-1, 2-1) suffered their first loss of the regular season as they fall to TCU (5-0, 2-0) 38-31. The Jayhawks’ starting quarterback Jalon Daniels left the game with less than one minute left in the second quarter due to a shoulder injury.

Both offenses got off to a slow start, but the Horned Frogs had a solid first drive which resulted in a 39-yard field goal by Griffin Kell to put TCU up 3-0.

After a KU punt, TCU got the ball back and had another solid drive going, but TCU decided to run a halfback run from shotgun formation on 3rd & 1 and a running back handoff on 4th & 1, despite quarterback Max Duggan being under center.

KU’s first scoring opportunity came a few drives later with KU getting all the way down to the two-yard line after tight end Mason Fairchild made a spectacular grab which went for 48 yards. However, Daniels fumbled on a quarterback keeper and TCU recovered.

The TCU offense was able to march 99 yards down the field for their first touchdown of the game which went to running back Kendre Miller to put them up 10-0.

The Jayhawks’ next drive got them into the redzone, but with :48 left in the half, Daniels scrambled to the right and fell awkwardly on his shoulder knocking him out of the game. The Jayhawks made a field goal from 40 yards away by kicker Jacob Borcila to get them within a touchdown before the break.

Replacing Daniels was senior Jason Bean, and he elevated the offense in the second half and was effectively leading the offense.

On the first drive of the second half, KU got a four-play 75-yard drive resulting in their first touchdown of the game to even it up 10-10 on a 12-yard touchdown catch by Fairchild.

With 9:42 left in the third quarter, TCU got the ball back after their defense forced a three-and-out, but Duggan fumbled the ball back to Kansas. The Jayhawks capitalized on the Horned Frogs’ mistake and Bean completed a touchdown pass to wide receiver Luke Grimm, who made an impressive toe-dragging catch in the back of the endzone. KU had their first lead of the game up 17-10.

It wouldn’t last for long, though, as TCU scored another touchdown with wideout Derius Davis tiptoeing down the sideline for a 51-yard score to tie it up 17-17.

Remnants of past KU teams appeared on the next drive which lasted three plays with one being a bad backwards pass for a loss of 12 yards, and another being an interception. Five plays later and TCU was in the endzone again with Duggan rushing up the middle for a three-yard touchdown to put them up 24-17.

KU strung another quick drive together to answer TCU’s score with a touchdown from wide receiver Quentin Skinner to even the score 24-24.

TCU got their third straight touchdown drive with each being five plays or fewer. This one was a five-play 50-yard drive that started at the 50-yard line thanks to an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against KU after the previous Jayhawk touchdown. Wide receiver Taye Barber made an impressive catch to get TCU back on top 31-24.

The Jayhawks’ following drive was the longest drive of the game in both time expired and plays run which went 15 plays for 7:20 but resulted in a Borcila field goal miss from 31 yards away.

KU’s defense finally got a stop, and the offense got another touchdown to make it 31-31 with less than five minutes left. Skinner caught a 29-yard pass from Bean in the back of the endzone with his knee on the white chalk, but the officials called it a touchdown.

The Jayhawks still had no answers for Duggan and the Horned Frogs’ offense as they went right back down the field and scored on a touchdown to wide receiver Quentin Johnston from 24-yards out with 1:36 left to seal the game as KU was unable to score on the following drive.

It was a great start to the season, but ultimately the magic wore off. Bean looked very good in relief as he had four touchdowns in the second half which is the first time a Jayhawk quarterback has thrown four touchdowns in a half since December 31st, 2008.

Daniels struggled to start his day going just 5-for-10 for 89 yards and seven carries for just six rushing yards. Bean went 16-for-24 with 262 passing yards and had an interception with those four touchdowns.

Johnston for TCU had 14 receptions for 206 receiving yards with his touchdown. Duggan was 23-for-33 with 308 passing yards, three touchdowns and an interception along with his 55 rushing yards and rushing touchdown.

KU’s defense continues to be an issue and things will get a lot tougher for them as the brunt of their schedule is coming up. They are going to take on Oklahoma in Norman next Saturday at 11 a.m., and the Sooners are going to come out playing out very angry.

OU comes off a 49-0 shutout loss to Texas in the Red River Showdown. It’s the first time the Sooners have been shut out by Texas since 1965. Their 0-3 start in conference play is the first time in school history. Only seven times in 108 years have they had three conference losses in a single season. Their quarterback Dillon Gabriel did not play in Saturday’s blowout loss due to an injury he suffered last week vs. TCU.

In the grand scheme of things, no one really thought coming into this season that KU would be 5-1 and 2-1 in conference play with an outside shot of making the Big 12 Championship, but here we are. A win against OU next week would get them bowl eligible for the first time since 2008.