LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) Backup quarterback Brian Luke directed four scoring drives and Clark Green ran for 107 yards to lead Kansas to a 30-19 victory over Florida-Atlantic on Saturday night.
The Jayhawks took a 19-13 when Luke hit Jeff Foster with a 17-yard touchdown pass with 32 seconds left in the third quarter.
Danny Embick threw for 299 yards and three touchdowns for the Owls, who this year are playing their first full Division I-A schedule. Two of his passes went 66 yards for touchdowns, to Thomas Parker and Dilvory Edgecomb. Embrick connected with Frantz Simeon on a 15-yard touchdown pass on the last play of the game.
Embick's second TD pass put the Owls of the Sun Belt Conference up 13-12 after Brandon Perkins sacked Embick on a 2-point pass attempt.
About 5 minutes into the fourth quarter, Scott Webb kicked a 32-yard field goal for the Jayhawks, and then a few minutes later Jon Cornish broke two tackles on a 29-yard touchdown run.
Luke relieved Adam Barmann midway through the second quarter for the Jayhawks, who are coming off a 4-7 season and are picked last in the Big 12 North.
Kansas grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first period when Perkins chased Embick into the end zone and forced him into a safety for an intentional-grounding penalty. Kyle Tucker's career-long 58-yard punt and an ensuing 10-yard penalty had put the Owls on their own 12.
Kansas gave up an offensive touchdown in the opening quarter for the first time since 2003 when Parker beat All-Big 12 cornerback Charles Gordon on a 66-yard pass play with 19 seconds left.
Parker took a perfectly thrown spiral from Embick on a fly pattern over the middle. Gordon, who tied for the NCAA lead last year with seven interceptions, was clearly beaten on the play. Parker, who was given a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA a few days ago, took the ball on the 12 and sped to the end zone untouched.
All last year, the Jayhawks gave up only two field goals, a safety and a defensive touchdown in the first quarter.
Adam Barmann, who beat out Luke for the starting job, made it 9-0 in the final minute of the first quarter with a 6-yard touchdown run.
The Owls caught Kansas out of position to take the lead on Dilvory Edgecomb's 66-yard TD reception in the third period. Edgecomb was all by himself on the left side of the field and scored without being touched.
Webb also had a 43-yard field goal in the third period.
