No. 4 TCU rolls 43-0 as Kansas ties NCAA road loss mark
FORT WORTH, TX - OCTOBER 21: KaVontae Turpin of TCU runs a 90 yard punt return for a touchdown against the Kansas Jayhawks in the second half at Amon G. Carter Stadium on October 21, 2017 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) - Kenny Hill matched his career high with five touchdown passes, KaVontae Turpin returned a punt 90 yards for a score after going backward to the 3 and the TCU defense dominated overmatched Kansas in the fourth-ranked Horned Frogs' 43-0 victory Saturday night.
The Jayhawks (1-6, 0-4) had 21 yards total offense while tying an 81-year-old NCAA record with their 44th straight loss in a true road game.
With severe weather approaching, both coaches agreed to a running clock from the 12:49 mark of the fourth quarter with TCU leading by final margin.
John Diarse had a 67-yard catch-and-run touchdown for a 24-0 lead in the second quarter and finished with 130 yards on four receptions as the Horned Frogs (7-0, 4-0 Big 12) improved to 19-0 at home as a top 10 team under coach Gary Patterson.
TCU outgained Kansas 305-3 in the first half and was never challenged after winning the past three against the Jayhawks by a combined 11 points, including 24-23 last year when the Horned Frogs needed 10 fourth-quarter points to win on the road.
The Jayhawks have lost 47 straight away from home overall since a 34-7 win at UTEP on Sept. 12, 2009. Kansas' Big 12 road losing streak is up to 37 games since a 35-33 win at Iowa State on Oct. 4, 2008.
Western State of Colorado set the record for consecutive true road losses from 1926 to 1936.
Jalen Reagor had touchdown catches of 22 and 15 yards from Hill, who sat the fourth quarter to finish 19 of 26 for 278 yards without an interception and now has 15 TDs with three picks this season. Taj Williams caught Hill's final TD pass, a 26-yarder early in the third quarter.
Kansas' visit marked the return of offensive coordinator Doug Meacham, who clearly doesn't have the weapons he shared with Sonny Cumbie in that role the past three years at TCU.
Peyton Kinder was 7 of 16 for 38 yards and was sacked four times for 24 yards in losses. Deron Thompson was the leader rushing with 10 yards on five carries.
On his dazzling touchdown, Turpin caught the punt just inside the 10 and took a few steps forward before reversing field and running backward. He slipped out of a tackle as he turned at the 3, broke another one inside the 10 and outran everyone up the right side of the field for a 43-0 lead.
THE TAKEAWAY
Kansas: The Jayhawks had four first downs, two by penalty. The only first downs on plays that gained yards came on Kansas' first and last series. The Jayhawks had minus-6 total yards after Steven Sims was dropped for a 6-yard loss on a reverse on the last play of the third quarter.
TCU: With no losses among the top 3 in the poll, the Horned Frogs figure to stay put with one more game before the first College Football Playoff rankings come out. But TCU did exactly what it needed, overwhelming an outmatched opponent from the start.
UP NEXT
Kansas: Home against Kansas State next Saturday, seeking first win over in-state rival since 2008.
TCU: At surging Iowa State next Saturday, with the Cyclones poised for the first AP Top 25 ranking since 2005.
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