LAST TIME OUT

The Jayhawks continued their fall out of the Big 12 North race with a 17-10 loss at Kansas State on Saturday, dropping to 5-4 overall and 1-4 in the conference. Only KU, Missouri and Baylor are sitting with one league victory — and the Jayhawks narrowly escaped defeat against Iowa State for that win on Oct. 10.

Kansas lost three turnovers and gained none vs. KSU, which got more than half its offense from tailback Daniel Thomas (24 carries, 185 yards). Thomas went for 105 in the third quarter in what might have been the turning point. The Wildcats completed just seven passes, but one was the 31-yard touchdown from Grant Gregory to Lamark Brown that gave them a 10-7 lead just before halftime.

KU then managed just three second-half points, proof that defense isn't the Jayhawks' only problem in what has developed into a four-game losing skid — the program's longest since 2006.

Kansas never established a running game against K-State, getting less than half its season average at 60 yards on 23 attempts. Senior quarterback Todd Reesing threw for 241 yards, but was intercepted once and lost a pair of fumbles.

It also didn't help to have kicker Jacob Branstetter miss 30-yard field goals in each half, although Branstetter did connect from 46 yards in the fourth quarter.

REMEMBER WHEN ...

It was not that long ago that Kansas was 5-0 and ranked as high as No. 15. But after starting the season with three blowouts, the first sign of trouble might have been Southern Mississippi and Iowa State each playing KU within a touchdown in Lawrence.

Ever since? How about losses of 34-30 to Colorado, 35-13 to Oklahoma and 42-21 to Texas Tech before Saturday. There have been 12 turnovers in the four-game stretch.

Now it might be all about bowl eligibility, pretty much considered a given when many picked KU as the Big 12 North favorite. The Jayhawks will have to squeeze at least one win out of a remaining schedule that includes Nebraska, Texas and Missouri.

WHAT'S WRONG WITH TODD?

Everybody figured that if KU was going to collapse, the cause would be a porous defense. Who knew that blame would instead be building up on quarterback Todd Reesing.

The senior racked up more than 1,600 yards and 13 touchdowns with just three interceptions during the 5-0 start. He looked like the quarterback who led Kansas to a 12-1 record and Orange Bowl victory in 2007.

Since then, Reesing personally has committed 10 turnovers during the four-game skid (five interceptions and five fumbles). He was benched Oct. 31 at Texas Tech and questions have been swirling about his health, which Reesing dismissed Saturday.

The loss to K-State was his first after building a 3-0 record against the Jayhawks' in-state rival.

“It goes without saying that when we lose to our rival, it hurts more than losing to someone else,'' Reesing said.

Reesing continues to rank second in the Big 12 in passing (291.8 yards per game) and tied for second in touchdowns (17). In the loss at KSU, he did become the fifth player in Big 12 history to eclipse 10,000 yards passing at 10,204.

RUNNING ON EMPTY

What might help Reesing would be a running game, of which Kansas no longer seems to have one.

The 60 rushing yards Saturday go with a cumulative 144 during the previous three games. In fact, KU managed just 102 yards vs. Southern Miss and 109 vs. Iowa State, meaning their per-game average during the past six is just 69.2 — a far cry from numbers like 328 (Northern Colorado), 255 (Texas-El Paso) and 152 (Duke).

Jake Sharp was considered one of the top returning backs in the North Division, but the senior has been hobbled by a leg injury after starting the season with back-to-back 100-yard games. KU coach Mark Mangino said two weeks ago that Sharp might not be 100 percent healthy again this season.

Reesing is believed to be battling a groin problem, which has limited his effectiveness as a scrambler. The line play at times has been an issue.

Leading the team is freshman Toben Opurum with 498 yards.

WHAT A PAIR

One thing that hasn't gone away is the ability of senior Kerry Meier and junior Dezmon Briscoe to make plays in the passing game. The receivers combined for 15 receptions Saturday.

Meier currently ranks second in the Big 12 with 73 receptions, including six touchdowns. Briscoe is at 61 catches and six TDs, and is averaging 15.0 per catch, although there have been some dropped passes.

“I don't think you can find a duo who's better than them,'' Reesing said last month.

A year ago, Meier caught 97 passes and Briscoe had 92 with 15 touchdowns, and their combined yardage was an astounding 2,447. Meier started eight games at quarterback as a freshman in 2006, but ultimately found his home at receiver after losing the quarterback job to Reesing in 2007.

— Rich Kaipust