KU football’s fourth-quarter rally gives coach Les Miles his first win with Jayhawks
Mission accomplished. Barely.
Kansas football fans no doubt had varying levels of expectations for new coach Les Miles in his return to the sideline following a two-year layoff.
The most important goal, though, was simply this: Get a victory against FCS foe Indiana State while continuing to move the program’s rebuild forward.
KU was able to clear that bar on a sunny Saturday at Booth Memorial Stadium, defeating the Sycamores, 24-17.
It didn’t come easy.
Indiana State rallied from a 13-point fourth-quarter comeback, taking a 17-16 lead on a fumble recovery for touchdown before KU put together its best drive of the day.
Receiver Andrew Parchment came through with a huge third-down juke and conversion, then Daylon Charlot fully extended for a 22-yard TD catch in the corner of the end zone to put KU back on top.
KU’s defense followed with a four-and-out, securing Miles’ first win as the Jayhawks’ coach.
The truth: For 56 minutes, KU’s offense was sluggish and inconsistent in the passing game. Quarterback Carter Stanley — he was the starter after Miles declined to announce one before the game — lost three fumbles and also was fortunate a few tipped passes were not intercepted.
KU’s defense, meanwhile, was mostly effective. Hasan Defense set the tone, coming up with a 57-yard pick-six midway through the first quarter that gave the Jayhawks their first points of the season.
Safety Jeremiah McCullough added a red-zone interception, and KU was a bit fortunate as well with Indiana State kicker Jerry Nunez missing a pair of long first-half field goals.
KU had a few standouts. Parchment was one, as he went for 121 receiving yards in his first game after transferring in from Iowa Central Community College. Linebacker Dru Prox also was productive for an inexperienced KU front seven, leading the team with nine tackles and also coming through with a crucial fourth-quarter sack that halted a potential go-ahead Indiana State drive.
There also was tight end James Sosinski pulling in a 10-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter. It was his first points for KU since the 2018 Final Four ... when he banked a two off the glass with 17 seconds left for the Jayhawks basketball team during mop-up time of a loss to Villanova.
Indiana State fell to 0-33 all-time against FBS power-conference opponents.
KU will host Coastal Carolina at 6 p.m. on Sept. 7.
This story was originally published August 31, 2019 at 2:38 PM with the headline "KU football’s fourth-quarter rally gives coach Les Miles his first win with Jayhawks."
