LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Jerrod Johnson broke Texas A&M’s career record for total offense, and backup Ryan Tannehill threw three touchdown passes to help the Aggies roll past hapless Kansas 45-10 Saturday night.
Johnson, a senior who’d been having turnover problems during a three-game Aggie losing streak, started the game and scored on a 3-yard TD run for a 14-3 lead in the first quarter. With 139 yards passing and 28 rushing, he raised his career total to 8,888 yards, snapping the record of 8,876 Reggie McNeal compiled from 2002-05.
Tannehill, who has played mostly wide receiver his first three years at A&M and had thrown only 13 passes, replaced Johnson in the second quarter and led the Aggies (4-3, 1-2 Big 12) on two quick scoring drives for a 31-10 halftime lead. He also scored on a 6-yard run in the fourth quarter to put A&M on top 45-10.
The Jayhawks (2-5, 0-3) have been outscored in their last three games 159-24.
The Aggies, 6-1 against Kansas since the formation of the Big 12, scored 10 points off turnovers.
Cyrus Gray rushed for 117 yards and one touchdown, and Jeff Fuller caught five passes for 121 yards, including touchdown strikes from Tannehill of 39 and 27 yards. Fuller also extended his streak of consecutive games with at least one reception to 27, two short of the school record.
The Aggies overcame 130 yards in penalties. Twice in the second quarter, Kansas seemed poised to seize the momentum, but mistakes ruined each opportunity.
Jordan Webb hit tight end Tim Biere with a 32-yard pass and followed that with a 16-yard TD strike, bringing the Jayhawks to within 17-10. Then, with the crowd back in the game and momentum shifting, they appeared to have the Aggies stopped on third down.