Kansas hits new low under Turner Gill
Kansas thought it was past games like this.
Not so fast.
In a game that brought back bitter memories of all those blowout losses a year ago, the Jayhawks were thoroughly embarrassed 66-24 by Georgia Tech on Saturday.
Facing a team it upset a year ago — one of only three wins in Turner Gill's debut season as coach — Kansas gave up 604 yards rushing, 768 yards overall and looked as though it never seen the option offense.
''It was very frustrating,'' Jayhawks cornerback Tyler Patmon said. ''That's one of the most embarrassing games I've ever been a part of.''
Not that it was anything new. This was their sixth loss of at least 28 points in Gill's 15-game coaching tenure.
''This is so frustrating because it feels like last year,'' Patmon said. ''We're determined not to let it be like last year. We need to come back with another win.''
After starting the season with victories over lightweights McNeese State and Northern Illinois, the Jayhawks (2-1) trailed only 24-17 at halftime but completely fell apart in the second half.
''We couldn't get them out of their rhythm,'' Gill said. ''They continued to make plays, big plays, which is the thing you have to minimize with any offense, but particularly with this one here. They make some big plays on you, and they multiply, and that gets very tough. We just couldn't tackle.''
Led by Orwin Smith, who had more than 100 yards rushing and receiving, Georgia Tech (3-0) played with a passion and focus that was missing a year ago in that mistake-plagued, 28-25 loss to Kansas. The Yellow Jackets set school records for rushing and total yards.
''When we're making our blocks, it's like a video game,'' said Embry Peeples, who had a 63-yard touchdown run to spark a 42-point second half. ''It's score after score after score.''
The Yellow Jackets ran at will and mixed in three long passes.
''It's a bad position to be in when you can't adjust out of it,'' said Vic Shealy, the Kansas defensive coordinator. ''You can't slow it down, and it snowballs on you.''
Boy, what a difference from 2010.
''We wanted to show them that last year was a fluke game,'' Peeples said. ''The fun that they had was not going to be had today.''
Georgia Tech had its highest-scoring game since a 69-14 win over Samford in 2007. Roddy Jones scored on a 4-yard run and hauled in a 52-yard touchdown pass. David Sims had TD runs of 19 and 21 yards.
Losing its 10th straight road game, Kansas gave up three one-play scoring drives to the Yellow Jackets, including their first offensive snap of each half.
Completing befuddling the Jayhawks with fakes, pitches and guys darting in all different directions, Georgia Tech averaged 12.1 yards each time they ran the ball. That broke the NCAA record, an 11.9-yard performance in 1973 by one of Bear Bryant's powerhouse Alabama teams against Virginia Tech.
Smith needed only five carries to put up 157 yards. Peeples added 110 yards on five carries.
Smith set the tone on Georgia Tech's first offensive play, breaking off a 95-yard touchdown with an inside counter for yet another record: longest run in school history. He swept through a huge hole, then picked up key blocks downfield from receivers Stephen Hill and Tyler Melton.
''Our offense is based on the perimeter,'' Smith said. ''If we're getting blocks on the perimeter, we're going to have a big game.''
Tevin Washington had another efficient day at quarterback, completing 4 of 7 for 164 yards. He connected with Smith on a 67-yard touchdown and hooked up with Jones on a 52-yarder. Washington also completed a 41-yard pass to Smith that came up short of the end zone, giving the junior A-back 108 yards on his two receptions.
Georgia Tech had gone seven years since its last player, Calvin Johnson, had rushing and receiving touchdowns in the same game. Both Smith and Jones did it against the Jayhawks.
Smith also was the first Yellow Jackets player since at least 1978 to account for more than 100 yards on the ground and through the air.
Kansas kicked a field goal on the last play of the first half and actually went to the locker room only down 24-17. It was all Georgia Tech after that.
Peeples took off from the 37 on the opening play of the third quarter, was barely touched on his way to the end zone and the rout was on.
The Yellow Jackets were perfect — six possessions, six touchdowns — before running out the clock the final time they got the ball. They finished with their highest-scoring second half since putting up 96 over the final two periods of their famous 222-0 victory over Cumberland in 1916.
Georgia Tech broke the school record of 558 yards rushing against VMI in 1975, and the 706-yard mark for total yards set in 1948 against Citadel. The Yellow Jackets had 10 plays of at least 21 yards — and three that went for more than 50.
''We were spreading the love,'' Washington said. ''When everybody's touching the ball, everybody's happy.''
Darrian Miller scored a pair of rushing touchdowns for the Jayhawks, but that wasn't nearly enough. Kansas moved the ball well in the first half, converting 7 of 10 tries on third down, but the offense went stagnant until a late scoring drive.
Miller finished with 53 yards on 11 carries. James Sims, who had 101 yards against Georgia Tech in his college debut last season, was held to 40 this time.
There was no stopping the Yellow Jackets.