Football shuts out Kansas, 23-0

Saturday, September 27

Lawrence, Kan.

3 p.m

University of Texas

2-2 , 1-0

Kansas

2-2 , 0-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Texas

Kansas

09.27.2014 | Football

Box Score

Defense records four interceptions in Big 12 Conference opener.

LAWRENCE, Kan. -- The defense forced four turnovers and the offense provided enough firepower for the Texas Football team to claim a 23-0 road win over Kansas (2-2, 0-1) in the Big 12 Conference opener for both teams Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium.

For the second time this season the Longhorns (2-2, 1-0) picked off four passes -- matching their effort in the season opener vs. North Texas -- as Duke Thomas recorded two interceptions and Quandre Diggs and Jordan Hicks had one each in UT's first shutout since 2012 (45-0 vs. New Mexico) and first on the road in nine years (62-0 vs. Baylor in 2005).

Making his third career start, quarterback Tyrone Swoopes completed 19 of 34 passes for 218 yards and two touchdowns. John Harris and Jaxon Shipley turned in typically steady performances, with Harris catching six passes for 89 yards and a touchdown and Shipley making six receptions for 81 yards. Harris has a touchdown pass in each of the first four games, becoming the first Longhorn to accomplish that feat since Jordan Shipley had a TD reception in each of the first eight games in 2008.

Swoopes led a pair of scoring drives in the first half, though the 13-0 advantage the Longhorns took into the half could have been larger.

Texas had 212 yards of total offense in the first two quarters, including an 11-play, 78-yard drive on its second possession of the game that ultimately ended with a fumble inside the Kansas 10-yard line.

On the possession after the fumble, Texas bounced back with the help of good field position thanks to a 41-yard punt return by Jaxon Shipley. The return set Texas up at the Kansas 18, and Swoopes put the Longhorns on the board with a 1-yard touchdown pass to M.J. McFarland with 55 seconds left in the first quarter.

Texas, which intercepted three passes in the first half, used the second of those three to set up its next touchdown drive. Duke Thomas picked off a pass from Kansas quarterback Montell Cozart at midfield and returned it to the Jayhawks' 26-yard line, and three plays later Swoopes ran 7 yards for a TD and a 13-0 lead with 4:42 left in the second quarter.

Texas' fourth interception of the game setup its first first drive in the second half. Hicks, who had a game-high 11 tackles, intercepted a pass at the Kansas 30 and four plays later Nick Rose's 42-yard field goal made it 16-0 with less than 11 minutes left in the game.

On the next two Kansas drives, the Longhorns defense forced a three-and-out and a turnover-on-downs, effectively putting the game out of reach. Taking over at the KU 27-yard line, Texas put the game away with a scoring drive capped by Swoopes' 16-yard TD pass to Harris who caught the ball at the 5 and barreled into the end zone.