3 things we learned from KU Jayhawks football’s 41-14 loss to Texas Tech Red Raiders

This loss was about the canyon.

Most advanced metrics would tell you that Texas Tech entered Saturday’s game as the ninth-best team in the Big 12. KU was 10th.

The final score for the Jayhawks against the conference team they should be most competitive with?

That would be 41-14 (with KU’s 14 points coming in the final minute of the game).

At home. On Homecoming. After a bye week.

With all that representing a slap-in-the-face reality — on one Saturday — of the canyon that exists between KU right now and its worst-other peer in the conference.

Half the schedule remains. Games will get tougher from here with three ranked opponents in the next four contests.

One would think it could only look up from here. But then again, this was supposed to be KU’s easiest game remaining.

KU coach Lance Leipold and his team will play host to No. 4 Oklahoma next week.

Moving on from this one quickly — as difficult as that might be — will be necessary if the Jayhawks want to avoid further embarrassment in one week’s time.

Here are a few other things we learned about KU (1-5) on Saturday.

Offensive effort

Though KU has shown flashes of being able to move the football and put up points this season, almost none of that ability showed up Saturday.

Texas Tech had allowed 70, 23 and 52 points in its first three Big 12 games this season. On Saturday, though, it nearly posted its first conference shutout since Oct. 29, 2005, when the team blanked Baylor, 28-0; KU, though, scored two garbage TDs with under a minute remaining in the fourth quarter to avoid being blanked for the first time since 2017.

Unproductive in air

KU quarterback Jason Bean struggled for a second straight week, finishing 11 for 21 for 80 yards with an interception. This was against a Texas Tech defense that allowed 300 passing yards or more to three of its six opponents this year.

Bean was 10 for 20 for 120 yards with an interception in KU’s previous 59-7 loss at Iowa State.

Defensive issues remain

KU’s defense provided almost no resistance, as Texas Tech scored on seven of its first eight possessions.

The Red Raiders also went 6 for 6 on red-zone drives, with five touchdowns and one field goal on those opportunities.