Sports

College football

Kansas rolls to first bowl win in 10 years

Associated Press
Published December 24, 2005

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FORT WORTH, Texas - Jason Swanson threw for 307 yards and four touchdowns, one more than he had in the regular season, and the Kansas Jayhawks beat Houston 42-13 Friday night in the Fort Worth Bowl for their first winning season and first bowl victory in 10 years.

Tailback Jon Cornish turned two shovel passes from Swanson into scores and also rushed for 101 yards on 16 carries. Brian Murph, who hadn't returned a kick all season, turned a muffed punt into an 85-yard score in the first quarter that put the Jayhawks (7-5) ahead to stay. He also caught a 48-yard touchdown pass.

Kansas had been in only one other bowl since a victory over UCLA in the 1995 Aloha Bowl capped a 10-2 season. The Jayhawks lost 56-26 to North Carolina State in the 2003 Tangerine Bowl that ended Mark Mangino's second year as coach.

Houston (6-6) has lost six straight bowls since winning the 1980 Garden State Bowl.

Swanson started his fifth straight game, going 19-for-29 in his fourth victory and earning MVP honors. The senior was the third starting quarterback used by Kansas this year. He hurt his leg during the preseason, but took over in late October after Adam Barrman and Brian Luke struggled.

Cougars junior quarterback Kevin Kolb started his 36th straight game and already is the career total offense leader at the school where David Klingler and Andre Ware also threw passes. Kolb was 20-of-44 passing for 214 yards with three interceptions, all turned into scores by Kansas.

Kolb had a 1-yard sneak for Houston's only touchdown. The Cougars were held to a season-worst 244 total yards after leading Conference USA with 457 a game during the regular season. Kansas had 538 yards.

Theo Barnes had two interceptions for the Jayhawks.

ALABAMA: Defensive back Simeon Castille, who started every game and had two interceptions this season, was ruled academically ineligible for the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 2 against Texas Tech.

COLORADO: Quarterback Joel Klatt was still dizzy and hurting from a concussion three weeks ago, so James Cox will start in the Champs Sports Bowl against Clemson on Tuesday.

MARSHALL: University president Stephen Kopp has tabled the proposed construction of a multimillion-dollar indoor athletic practice facility and other projects at the Huntington, W. Va., school, saying he wants to see how they will be paid for.

[Last modified December 24, 2005, 01:10:16]

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