On a near-freezing afternoon, Kansas' chance at a Big 12 Conference championship was severely crippled.
With a realistic shot at winning the North Division on the line, Kansas suffered its usual fate when playing a game at Nebraska.
But the Jayhawks' 45-35 loss to the Cornhuskers was far from typical, with both teams turning in spectacular offensive plays. For KU quarterback Todd Reesing, there just weren't enough of them as Kansas lost for the 20th straight game at Memorial Stadium dating back to 1968.
Not that the junior didn't make things happen. Reesing completed 15 of 30 passes for 304 yards and three touchdowns. He also added 35 yards and another score on the ground in the losing effort.
"We're disappointed tonight, but we're not discouraged," Kansas coach Mark Mangino said. "There's some young guys that are getting a baptismal. They're learning trial by fire, and I guess that's the best way to have it sometimes."
A couple of those players were on KU's offensive line, which allowed five sacks for -42 yards. Of the five starters on the line, two were redshirt freshmen.
Mangino said his quarterback was receiving treatment after the game but didn't expect any lingering injuries. The Austin, Texas, native was unavailable for interviews.
In addition to the sacks, Nebraska's defensive line forced Reesing to scramble frequently and delivered punishing hits afterward.
With an ineffective running game of 118 yards on 39 carries, Kansas was forced to pass in obvious situations.
KU wideout Dezmon Briscoe said the constant pressure on Reesing disrupted the timing routes the Jayhawks like to run, and they couldn't even run some of their plays.
"I've never seen him on the turf as much as he was (Saturday)," Briscoe said. "There's a first time for everything."
But despite a noticeable limp in the fourth quarter, Reesing led a nine-play, 75-yard drive to draw his team to within 10 points at 45-35. KU even recovered the onside kick, but was sacked for a 15-yard loss on third down to set up a nearly inconvertible fourth-and-25.
The loss dropped the Jayhawks to 6-4, including 3-3 in the Big 12. With games left against Texas and Missouri, they most likely need to win out in order to play in the league's championship game.
After beginning the year ranked No. 14 in the nation, the setback to Nebraska was a bitter pill to swallow.
"That's why this one hurts the most," KU defensive back Justin Thornton said. "It wasn't the fact that Nebraska beat us. It's the fact that we can't reach that Big 12 North (Division title)."
Kansas also won the turnover battle 3-1 but managed just seven points, while the Huskers collected a touchdown on KU's lone miscue in the final period.
"We got a lot of turnovers (Saturday), but in the end it didn't really help us," linebacker Mike Rivera said. "We got a lot of turnovers but we didn't win the game so we got to just make sure we continue to do that next week."
Mangino said poor tackling was also a trouble spot for the Jayhawks. On a few occasions, the coach said, KU had called blitzes to the gaps where Nebraska would run the ball. But players couldn't wrap up the ball carrier.
Mangino said Reesing's performance in the midst of taking a beating was the grittiest he's seen from his star player.
"I think this game, more than any game that he's played - and he's played some great ones, as I said - this really revealed who he is," Mangino said. "He's one tough customer and we're glad we have him."
evanbland@dailynebraskan.com
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