LAWRENCE, Kan. – Indiana State came tantalizingly close to their first-ever win against a Power 5 FBS program in 32 tries as they came back from a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter to take a late lead only to see Kansas put together a game-winning drive in the waning moments as the Jayhawks defeated the Sycamores 24-17 at Memorial Stadium.
 
The Sycamores dropped their season opener to fall to 0-1 while Kansas begins the campaign 1-0.
 
Ryan Boyle finished the game with a 22-of-34 passing effort for 219 yards while Dante Hendrix was the top target hauling in eight catches for 57 yards. With four catches, Dante Jones II led the way in yards with 79 yards on the day. Titus McCoy posted 88 rush yards on 14 attempts before he exited the game in the third quarter with an injury.  
 
Clayton Glasco was credited with six tackles in the game to lead the way and posted three tackles for a loss. Kaleb Brewer also owned three tackles for a loss, including the late quarterback sack which pushed the Sycamores ahead late in the game. Michael Ghant Jr. and Inoke Moala each also had tackles for loss in the game. Jonas Griffith tallied five tackles in the contest.
 
ISU came back with the play of the day and trailing by six points when at the 5:45 mark of the fourth quarter the Jayhawks were facing a third-and-long at their own nine-yard line. Kansas signal caller Carter Stanley fumbled as he dropped back to pass and the ball squirted back into the end zone where Inoke Moala pounced on the ball to knot the game at 16. The quarterback sack and fumbled forced went to Kaleb Brewer. Jerry Nunez connected on the extra point to stake the Sycamores a 17-16 advantage. It was the first fumble return for a touchdown by a Sycamore since Tsali Lough did it in 2016 against Butler.
 
Kansas answered with an eight-play, 75-yard touchdown drive which was completed when Stanley found Daylon Charlot for 22 yards with 2:20 remaining to push them ahead 22-17. The Jayhawks used some trickery to score on the two-point conversion to push their lead out to 24-17.
 
A late game drive ended for the Sycamores which allowed Kansas to run out the clock and secure their first victory of the season.
 
Trailing by 13 points as the end of the third quarter loomed, the Sycamores marched down the field on a 14-play, 77-yard drive which was capped by a 26-yard pass from Boyle to Dante Jones II with 10:52 to go in the game to draw the Sycamores within 16-10.
 
The defense then on cue came up with a big stop as Clayton Glasco recorded a four-yard tackle for a loss and then Isaac Fotu sacked Kansas quarterback Carter Stanley for a six-yard loss and then forced an incomplete pass to give the ball back to the offense with 8:20 remaining.
 
Facing a third-and-nine and backed up in their own territory, the Sycamores needed a big play and they got it. Boyle rolled to his right and threw back towards the middle of the field where he found Kerlegrand for a 28-yard pass near midfield. Boyle then led the Sycamores into Kansas territory on an 18-yard keeper down to the 44-yard line. That threat ended on a quarterback sack when Travis Reiner came up with a big punt to pin the Jayhawks at their own six-yard line with 5:45 remaining.
 
The Sycamores got the start that they were looking for as the defense took to the field first and got a stop after the Jayhawks got all the way down to the ISU 31-yard line. Liam Jones, the Kansas kicker, missed a 49-yard field goal attempt to keep the young game scoreless and put the Sycamores in decent starting field position.
 
Behind the running of Titus McCoy, the Sycamores gained a pair of first downs as the moved towards midfield. Boyle missed his intended target and allowed Kansas' Hasan Defense to intercept the ball and take it to the end zone for a 57-yard return for a touchdown and Kansas took an early 7-0 lead with 8:43 remaining in the opening stanza.
 
ISU continued to control the remaining moments of the first quarter as they spent most of the time in Kansas territory. On third-and-five and backed up near their own goal line, Inoke Moala recorded a key tackle for a loss which stymied the Jayhawks lone remaining offensive possession of the first quarter. The Sycamores drove down to the 33-yard line but Jerry Nunez missed a 51-yard field goal attempt.
 
Kansas neared the Sycamores' 30-yard line and Dom Wiliams mishandled a backwards pass which Michael Thomas pounced on to give the Sycamores the ball back. McCoy raced into Jayhawk territory for a 19-yard gain to set up another Nunez field goal attempt – this time from 45 yards – which sailed wide right at the last second.
 
On the Sycamores' final offensive possession of the second quarter, McCoy pushed the ball into Kansas territory with another 19-yard scamper around the left end of the line. Boyle would find Rontrez Morgan streaking down the sideline for a spectacular 21-yard reception down to the Kansas nine-yard line. Kansas was then flagged for pass interference which set the Sycamores up at the two-yard line as time became a factor.
 
Boyle found Dante Hendrix in the back corner of the end zone and he attempted to tap his toe down in the blue end zone but video replay showed he landed just on the white for an incomplete pass. As time whittled away on the first half, Nunez connected on a 20-yard field goal to send the Sycamores into the locker room down just 7-3.
 
To open the third quarter, Boyle found Jones for a big 42-yard reception to move into Kansas territory. Boyle then kept a second-and-four play alive by scrambling to his right and made an underhanded pass to Henry Woodcock to keep the drive alive. ISU made it to the Kansas 19-yard line before Boyle's pass was intercepted at the goal line by the Jayhawks' McCullough to thwart the drive.
 
The Jayhawks cashed in on a seven-play, 87-yard drive when Carter Stanley found James Sosinski with 8:40 left in the third quarter to extend their lead out to 16-3. The extra point attempt was missed.
 
Indiana State opens the home portion of the schedule next weekend on Saturday, September 7 when they play host to Dayton in non-conference action. Kick-off from Memorial Stadium is set for 1 p.m. (ET).
 
For the latest information on the Sycamore Football team, make sure to check out GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media including Facebook and Twitter.