KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas Jayhawks conjured up some of their 2022 magic in Wednesday’s Liberty Bowl, but after three overtimes, it wasn’t enough.
In their first bowl game since the 2008 Orange Bowl, the Jayhawks fell 55-53 in 3OT to the Arkansas Razorbacks from Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee.
KJ Jefferson passed to Rashod Dubinion for a 2-point conversion in the third overtime and Arkansas held off a furious second-half rally by Kansas for win.
The Jayhawks had rallied from 25 points down in the second half to force overtime, but a failed on a 2-point conversion pass from Jason Bean to Lawrence Arnold, ending a four-and-a-half hour bowl marathon.
Jefferson passed for 287 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 130 yards and two more scores to lead the Razorbacks. Kansas quarterback Daniels passed for 544 yards and five touchdowns. He set Liberty Bowl records for passing yards, touchdown passes, completions (37) and total TDs scored (6).
The Razorbacks jumped out to a 31-13 lead at halftime, but the Jayhawks slowly chipped away, eventually scoring the game-tying touchdown and two-point conversion with less than a minute remaining in the 4th quarter to tie the game at 38-38.
The game went to overtime, where the two teams traded touchdowns in the first two overtime frames.
In the third overtime, Arkansas converted its two-point conversion, while Kansas came up short, giving the Razorbacks the victory.
The triple-overtime loss ends the Jayhawks season at 6-7.
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