Colorado
3-3 , 0-2
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Kansas
5-1 , 2-0
Kansas Rushes Over Buffs 30-14
October 11, 2008 | Football
LAWRENCE, Kan. — Jake Sharp scored three touchdowns and Todd Reesing threw for 256 yards and another score, leading No. 16 Kansas past Colorado 30-14 Saturday.
The Jayhawks led only 16-14 after Cody Hawkins' 1-yard touchdown run at the end of the third period. But Reesing quickly engineered two scoring drives to salt away Kansas' 20th win in 23 games and their 13th in a row at home.
It was the second hard-fought victory in two weeks over an unranked opponent for Kansas, which has been having trouble regaining the offensive command it rode to a 12-1 record in 2007.
Sharp, a 190-pound junior, had 118 yards on a career-high 31 carries and scored on runs of 1, 8 and 7 yards.
Reesing was 27-for-34 without an interception. Kerry Meier, the backup quarterback who has turned into one of the nation's top receivers, caught nine passes for 94 yards.
It was the 10th straight road loss to a ranked opponent for Colorado (3-3, 0-2), which trailed only 9-7 at halftime even though Kansas (5-1, 2-0 Big 12) had a safety and two interceptions.
Late in the first quarter, a 27-yard punt gave the Buffaloes the ball on the Kansas 28. Cody Hawkins, after connecting with Cody Crawford for 16 yards on third-and-nine, found Crawford again with an 11-touchdown pass for a 7-0 lead. The Jayhawks hadn't trailed at home since last Nov. 3, a span of five games.
Hawkins was 8-for-22 with for 90 yards, with two interceptions. He was replaced by Matt Ballenger late in the game.
After Kansas' Jacob Branstetter missed a 39-yard field goal attempt, Sharp and the Jayhawks finally got moving midway into the second quarter. Sharp ripped off gains of 21 and 10 yards and Reesing hit Dexton Fields for 27 yards, setting up Sharp's 1-yard TD run.
On Colorado's next possession, Jake Laptad chased Hawkins 16 yards backward and tackled him in the end zone for a safety and a 9-7 lead.
The Jayhawks took a 16-7 lead with a 12-play, 78-yard drive. Overcoming an illegal block penalty that gave them first-and-goal from the 21, Reesing hit three straight passes, capped by a 5-yard scoring toss to Dezmon Briscoe.
Josh Smith returned the ensuing kickoff 59 yards and caught a 38-yard pass on third-and-eight from the 39 and Hawkins scored to make it 16-14.
Reesing found Briscoe for 17 yards and Meier for 17 a few minutes later and Sharp scored on an 8-yard run. Fields' 36-yard punt return gave the Jayhawks a short field and Sharp scored the final TD from 7 yards out.
Team Stats
CU 7, KU 0
CU - Crawford, Cody 11 yd pass from Hawkins, Cody (Goodman, Aric kick) 5 plays, 28 yards, TOP 1:49
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CU 7, KU 7
KU - Sharp, Jake 1 yd run (Branstetter, Ja kick), 7 plays, 76 yards, TOP 3:04
CU 7, KU 9
KU - Laptad, Jake 16 yd safety
CU 7, KU 16
KU - Briscoe, Dezmon 5 yd pass from Reesing, Todd (Branstetter, Ja kick) 12 plays, 78 yards, TOP 5:25
CU 14, KU 16
CU - Hawkins, Cody 1 yd run (Goodman, Aric kick), 4 plays, 41 yards, TOP 1:03
CU 14, KU 23
KU - Sharp, Jake 8 yd run (Branstetter, Ja kick), 7 plays, 76 yards, TOP 1:54
CU 14, KU 30
KU - Sharp, Jake 7 yd run (Branstetter, Ja kick), 6 plays, 43 yards, TOP 1:33
