Kansas upsets No. 6 Oklahoma as Sooners' College Football Playoff chances take major hit on the road

Five lead changes in the second half undid Oklahoma, which entered the game undefeated on the season

Kansas pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the 2023 college football season on Saturday, handing No. 6 Oklahoma its first loss of the season in a 38-33 home triumph. A back-and-forth affair saw the Jayhawks use a late fourth-down conversion and subsequent touchdown run to stun the Sooners, snapping an 18-game losing streak for Kansas in the series between the longtime conference foes. 

Facing fourth down from near midfield and trailing 33-32 with 1:09 left in the game, Kansas quarterback Jason Bean, making another start in place of an injured Jalon Daniels, found Lawrence Arnold for a 37-yard gain, setting up the go-ahead touchdown run by Jayhawks running back Devin Neal with 55 seconds to spare. Oklahoma made one final attempt to win the game, but quarterback Dillon Gabriel's final throw at the end zone came up empty as Kansas secured its first home win against an AP Top 10 opponent since 1984 (also Oklahoma). 

Kansas wasted no time in giving the Sooners all they could handle, building a 14-0 lead by the early stages of the second quarter. The Jayhawks opened the scoring in the first quarter when defensive back Ra'Mello Dotson intercepted Gabriel for a 37-yard pick six. Kansas then padded its lead on a 9-yard touchdown run by running back Daniel Hishaw Jr. early in the second quarter to give Oklahoma its biggest deficit of the season. 

The Sooners refused to go down quietly, however, responding on the next drive with a 7-yard touchdown run by Gabriel. The game was then interrupted by a one-hour lightning delay before Oklahoma scored two more touchdowns en route to taking a 21-17 lead into the locker room at halftime. 

Kansas then came right back out of halftime, scoring the first nine points of the second half and retaking the lead with just more than 3 minutes left in the third quarter on a 38-yard touchdown run by Bean. It kicked off a stretch in which the teams traded the lead a handful of times over the final 18:03 of regulation before Neal's touchdown in the final minute proved to be the difference.

As the Jayhawks now have the momentum of a signature victory under coach Lance Leipold, the Sooners now have little to zero margin for error in their pursuit of a College Football Playoff berth. On deck for Oklahoma is the team's annual Bedlam rivalry game against Oklahoma State that could have major implications for both the CFP picture and Big 12 championship race. The first CFP Rankings of the 2023 season debut before then on Oct. 31. 

[Oct 28, 2023 at 4:43 pm ET · Dean Straka]

Jayhawks pull the upset 

Final: Kansas 38, No. 6 Oklahoma 33

Dillon Gabriel's final heave into the end zone is incomplete and Kansas upsets No. 6 Oklahoma. It snaps an 18-game losing streak in the series for the Jayhawks, who get their first win over the Sooners since 1997. It also ends the Sooners' hopes of an undefeated season. Just like that, the Big 12 race looks a whole lot more interesting as November looms. It's a signature win for a Kansas program that is back on the rise after enduring more than a decade of struggles, and gives the Jayhawks a huge dose of momentum entering the stretch run of 2023. Kansas is also now bowl-bound for a second straight year under coach Lance Leipold after previously 14 years without a bowl appearance. 

[Oct 28, 2023 at 4:33 pm ET · Dean Straka]

Kansas leads 

0:55 4Q: Kansas 38, No. 6 Oklahoma 33

Wow. Facing fourth down with the game on the line, Kansas quarterback Jason Bean finds Lawrence Arnold for a 37-yard gain into the red zone, setting up a go-ahead touchdown run for running back Devin Neal. Oklahoma will need a touchdown to win the game. It's not the first time the Sooners have found themselves in position like this, winning a 34-30 instant-classic against Texas in Week 6 in which they scored the game-winning touchdown with just 15 seconds to spare. It's crunch time as Oklahoma looks to keep its perfect record intact. 

[Oct 28, 2023 at 4:27 pm ET · Dean Straka]

Oklahoma forces massive turnover 

The Sooners come up big on defense again, as Ethan Downs intercepts Jason Bean to thwart would could have been a go-ahead scoring drive for the Jayhawks. That unit is going to have to stand strong one more time after the subsequent drive by Oklahoma ends in a punt, but it may have bought the Sooners just enough time to hang on for a victory in Lawrence. Now, Kansas has what could be one final shot to pull a massive upset. 

[Oct 28, 2023 at 4:14 pm ET · Dean Straka]

Sooners back on top 

5:22 4Q: No. 6 Oklahoma 33, Kansas 32

Oklahoma's defense comes up with an interception on a tipped pass by Kansas quarterback Jason Bean, and the Sooners -- gifted a short field -- make the Jayhawks pay. Oklahoma quarterback Dillion Gabriel puts the Sooners back on top with his third rushing touchdown of the game, this time form one yard out, before the two-point conversion attempt fails. Both teams have been heavy on the run all afternoon, and it looks as if it will stay that way until the final clock expires. 

[Oct 28, 2023 at 4:00 pm ET · Dean Straka]

Jayhawks come up empty 

That's huge missed opportunity for Kansas to expand its lead in the fourth quarter. The Jayhawks had what would have been another touchdown run by Hishaw wiped out by a penalty before the drive ultimately ends with kicker Seth Keller missing on a 42-yard fied goal attempt. Oklahoma, with no damage done after that lost fumble, will get the ball back at its own 24-yard line looking to take the lead back. 

[Oct 28, 2023 at 3:55 pm ET · Dean Straka]

Oklahoma fumbles kickoff return

An absolutely disastrous turn of events for the Sooners. After giving up the go-ahead touchdown, they fumble the ensuing kickoff return, and Kansas recovers with an opportunity to go up by two scores. Oklahoma has now committed three turnovers today -- the first two already led to 12 point scored by the Jayhawks -- and that one could be the costliest yet. The Sooners may have to dig deep to keep their hopes of a perfect season alive. 

[Oct 28, 2023 at 3:51 pm ET · Dean Straka]

Jayhawks go on top after Sooners targeting ejection 

4Q: Kansas 32, No. 6 Oklahoma 27

Kansas retakes the lead on a 1-yard touchdown run by Daniel Hishaw before the Jayhawks come up empty on a two-point conversion attempt. It caps off a wild sequence early in the fourth quarter. On the prior play, Kansas quarterback Jason Bean looked as if he was about to barrel his way into the end zone for the go-ahead score, but was ruled short of the goal-line after he slid. However, Sooners defensive back Reggie Pearson was called for a targeting hit on Bean and was subsequently ejected, giving Kansas a new set of downs before they punched it into the end zone via Hishaw. 

[Oct 28, 2023 at 3:41 pm ET · Dean Straka]

Oklahoma in a fight with Kansas

End 3Q: No. 6 Oklahoma 27, Kansas 26

Oklahoma is looking to improve to 8-0 in its second season under coach Brent Venables, but things aren't coming easy for the Sooners at Kansas. Oklahoma fell behind a quick 14-0 in the first half before rallying back, with a weather delay included, to take a 21-17 lead at halftime. The Jayhawks haven't gone down quietly, however, trailing by just one point as the fourth quarter gets underway. 

It's the last scheduled Big 12 meeting between the schools, and Kansas is seeking its first victory against Oklahoma since 1997. The Jayhawks have dropped 18 straight against the Sooners dating back to the 2000 campaign, and an upset here would throw a wrench into the Sooners' pursuit of a Big 12 Championship and College Football Playoff berth. Get ready for what could be a frantic finish at David Booth Memorial Stadium in Lawrence, Kansas.