LAWRENCE, Kan. — Kansas football’s fourth quarter comeback in the 2018 season opener was cut short by Nicholls in the final minutes of regulation as the Colonels forced overtime and scored the game-winning touchdown to down the Jayhawks, 27-23.

It was the Colonels’ rushing presence that outdueled the Kansas passing game Saturday night at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. NSU finished the game with 187 yards on the ground and were led by junior running back Kendall Bussey, who tallied 123 yards and one touchdown.

Kansas threw for 199 yards, with 187 coming from starting quarterback Peyton Bender. Bender threw for two touchdowns, including a 15-yard score to Kerr Johnson Jr. late in the fourth quarter to give KU a 20-17 lead. Johnson finished the night with 54 receiving yards and the score.

Defensively, seniors Joe Dineen Jr. and Daniel Wise combined for 25 tackles; each tying their career-high marks for stops. Dineen recorded his 16th career game with 10 or more stops after tallying 16 total tackles on the night.