Northern Illinois falls to Kansas in final seconds

LAWRENCE, KAN. — Jordan Webb hit B.J. Beshears with a 6-yard touchdown pass on fourth down with 9 seconds to go and Kansas escaped with a wild, back-and-forth 45-42 victory over Northern Illinois on Saturday night.

After Jasmin Hopkins’ 1-yard run put the Huskies on top 42-38 with 5:03 left in the seesaw slugfest, Beshears broke a 51-yard kickoff return to the 47. Then, facing a fourth-and-two from the 7 at the 1:19 mark, James Sims plowed to the 5 for a first-and-goal.

Two running plays lost yardage, setting up the last-second drama that resulted in Kansas’ first two-game winning streak under second-year head coach Turner Gill. The touchdown on the goal line was so close, it was reviewed as the crestfallen Huskies, who won 11 games last season and are bidding to become the next mid-major upstart, looked on hopefully.