KU defensive tackle Jereme Robinson had never-give-up attitude in 35-23 loss at Baylor

Kansas defensive tackle Jereme Robinson had seen his Jayhawks rally from 14-point deficits in a pair of road victories over West Virginia and Houston during weeks 2 and 3 of the 2022 college football season.

So the 6-foot-3, 255-pound native of Montgomery, Alabama, knew better than to surrender, down 28-3 to Baylor at halftime of Saturday’s Big 12 battle at McLain Stadium in Waco, Texas.

“It was a whole lot of strength. That’s what our coaches talked about when we came in at halftime, that we had the strength to finish this game and we’d keep fighting until the end,” Robinson said after the Jayhawks’ 35-23 loss to the Bears.

It was a game in which KU (5-3, 2-3 Big 12) outscored Baylor 20-0 to open the final half — a game in which KU cut the deficit to a manageable five points (28-23) with 6 minutes, 29 seconds to play.

It was Robinson who sparked KU’s comeback, though it ultimately fell short against the Bears. Baylor has now won 13 straight games against KU and is 18-4 all-time versus the Jayhawks, including 11 wins in Waco.

Robinson stripped Baylor quarterback Blake Shapen of the football on a rollout, retrieved the ball at the KU 42 and rumbled 49 yards — all the way to the Baylor 9.

KU’s Devin Neal scored on a 2-yard run three plays later and it was 28-10 Baylor with 7:35 left in the third.

“It was a heck of a play by Jereme. For him to do that … he has those abilities,” KU coach Lance Leipold said after his team lost its third straight game entering a bye week.

KU returns to action on Nov. 5 versus Oklahoma State in Lawrence.

“He’s made a lot of strides,” Leipold said of Robinson. “I’d say that play and the fourth-down stop were the two biggest plays of the second half.”

The Jayhawks, who were outgained by Baylor 437 yards to 288 (but outgained Baylor 212 to 187 the final half), trailed 28-16 when the Bears faced a fourth-and-1 call at the KU 7 with 9:29 left.

The Jayhawks took over on downs with 9:25 to play after stopping Shapen on a fourth-and-1 QB sneak.

Fired up after the defensive stand, KU marched 93 yards in eight carries and scored on a 4-yard run by QB Jason Bean with 6:29 to play. The extra point cut Baylor’s lead to 28-23.

“I think we came out the second half a little (ticked) off about how the first half half went,” Bean said. “Coach Leipold talked to us; We were ready to go the second half, came out and got the ball rolling.”

What did Leipold tell his players, down 25?

“It turned on both sides of the ball for us,” Leipold said. “We just challenged them (at half) not to worry about the scoreboard at this moment, because we weren’t playing or executing as we needed to, weren’t as physical as we needed to in all phases.

“Sometimes it takes just a first down or two or conversion on third down or something (like Robinson’s play to spark a comeback).”

Up by five, the Bears put together a seven-play, 69-yard drive that ended in a 2-yard TD run by Richard Reese with 2:37 left. Reese finished with 186 yards on 31 carries and two TDs. He caught two passes for 26 yards.

Shapen completed 17 of 26 passes for 164 yards and a TD with two interceptions, He rushed for minus-5 net yards on eight carries.

KU’s Bean hit 16 of 27 passes for 232 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. Quentin Skinner had four catches for 66 yards, a TD and two lost fumbles.

“What I’ll take out of today: There’s about five or six minutes to go and we’re right there.

The Jayhawks just need to win one more win to qualify for a bowl.

DANIELS, BRYANT INJURY UPDATES: The upcoming bye comes at a good time. Leipold said injured quarterback Jalon Daniels (shoulder) and cornerback Cobee Bryant (ankle) are “moving in a good direction.” He said he did not know the status of either player for the Oklahoma State game. Both Daniels and Bryant attended Saturday’s game in Texas. Daniels warmed up before the contest.