Lawrence, KS (Sports Network) - Jordan Webb threw for three touchdowns and Kansas' defense thwarted a final Georgia Tech drive, as the Jayhawks upended the 15th-ranked Yellow Jackets, 28-25, to bounce back from a shocking defeat.
The Jayhawks (1-1), under the guidance of new head coach Turner Gill, began the campaign with an ugly 6-3 loss to North Dakota State last weekend. This time, though, they were able to snap an eight-game losing streak going back to last year.
Webb completed 18-of-29 passes for 179 yards and was picked off once. Daymond Patterson had seven receptions for 85 yards and a score. James Sims rushed 17 times for 101 yards and a score.
Josh Nesbitt connected on just 5-of-15 passes for 116 yards and a TD for the Yellow Jackets (1-1), who were coming off a 41-10 win over South Carolina State.
Nesbitt led Georgia Tech from its own 34 with under 4 1/2 minutes left to the Kansas 34, but the drive stalled. On 3rd-and-2, Anthony Allen fumbled the handoff, but recovered. That left a 4th-and-3, but after a false start penalty, Nesbitt's pass to the left sideline for Stephen Hill was out of bounds.
Kansas ran out the remaining minute on the clock.
Nesbitt scored on a nine-yard run in the opening quarter, but KU countered with Webb's 15-yard TD pass to Brad McDougald.
Webb's two-yard scoring toss off play action to a wide open Tim Biere gave the Jayhawks a 14-7 lead on the first play of the second quarter.
Nesbitt, though, scored on a four-yard run to cap the ensuing drive, during which the Yellow Jackets converted a fourth down with a run from Embry Peeples.
A 28-yard field goal from Scott Blair in the final minute of the half gave Georgia Tech a 17-14 edge.
The see-saw battle continued with Sims scoring from two yards out less than five minutes into the third.
Nesbitt threw incomplete to Hill on a 4th-and-7 play from the KU 30 on the ensuing march, but Webb was picked off as the Yellow Jackets had another chance to move ahead. Instead, a drive stalled at midfield, and the Yellow Jackets punted.
The big play for Kansas then came just 41 seconds into the fourth when Patterson caught a pass on the right side of the field near the line of scrimmage, broke a few tackles and rumbled 32 yards to the end zone for a 28-17 margin.
The Yellow Jackets fumbled the ball away on the ensuing drive, but they got it back after a punt and Nesbitt threw a 40-yard TD pass to Hill on a 3rd-and-12 situation. The score came with 7:48 remaining, and the two connected for the two-point conversion.
Before Saturday, Georgia Tech had won nine straight games decided by five points or less...Kansas is 26-140-2 all-time vs. ranked teams...The Jayhawks moved to 19-4 in their last 23 home games...Georgia Tech was the first ranked non-Big 12 opponent to play at Kansas since then No. 14 UCLA in 2001 (the Bruins won 41-17)...Allen had 11 carries for 89 yards.