LAWRENCE, Kan. — For a moment in Saturday's fourth quarter, Todd Reesing and Kansas were back.

Points were coming, fists were pumping and the old Jayhawk offense was clicking.

“We definitely sensed it,” receiver Kerry Meier said.

And just like that, one of the most successful senior classes in KU football history walked off the field at their own Memorial Stadium for the final time as losers of a fifth straight game.

“We're frustrated, obviously,” Reesing said. “To be in this kind of losing streak is not fun to be a part of.”

After Reesing found Dezmon Briscoe for a 21-yard touchdown catch that gave Kansas a 17-16 lead and awoke those in blue, things went downhill for the Jayhawks — the way a lot has gone the past month for KU.

A facemask penalty erased a third-down stop; Nebraska scored one play later. Kansas went three-and-out on its ensuing possession and NU pounded out a 10-play, 74-yard drive to seal a 31-17 win.

“This is something we're getting kind of used to,” Meier said. “and it's something I don't like. Honestly, I'm a frustrated guy right now. Here we are five weeks in a row with the same outcome.”

He's not the only one who is a bit peeved.

“It sucks,” Briscoe said. “I mean, five games in a row? There's really nothing much I can say. It's bad.”

Being so close to winning made it even tougher.

After a Kansas field goal on the final play of the first half knotted the score at 10-10, the Jayhawks took the opening possession of the third quarter and got inside the Nebraska red zone before NU's Dejon Gomes knocked the ball loose from Meier after a 16-yard reception.

“I sensed the end zone getting close, and I started getting excited and completely forgot about ball security,” said Meier, who finished with 127 yards on 10 catches. “It's my fault. I thought I had the guy beat.”

Then there was the third-and-14 play at the Jayhawk 35. KU senior cornerback Justin Thornton tackled Khiry Cooper for no gain and would have forced either a long field goal or a punt with KU leading 17-16.

But Thornton was flagged for a facemask penalty, and Nebraska running back Roy Helu scored from 20 yards out one play later.

“Definitely one of those plays you wish you could have back,” Thornton said. “I feel like that play changed the outcome of the game. The whole momentum of the game shifted after that play.”

It was a microcosm of KU's struggles the past five weeks.

“We needed a stop there,” KU coach Mark Mangino said, “and we got a penalty, and it set us back. You can't do that against a good team. You can't make those kinds of mistakes and let those things happen.”

A win would have made the Jayhawks eligible for a school-record third straight bowl trip. Instead they'll need a victory next week at No. 2 Texas or against Missouri in the final week.

“I think what we've got to do now is go back to the drawing board,” Meier said. “Figure out what's wrong, keep working hard, stay positive and see if we can't go down to Austin and cause some ruckus.”

Contact the writer:

850-0781, nickrubek@hotmail.com

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