Isaiah Marshall threw two touchdown passes and Yasin Willis rushed for two scores as Kansas trampled Long Island University 51-6 on Friday night in nonconference action at Lawrence, Kan.
Nik McMillan caught six passes for 130 yards and one touchdown in his Kansas debut, and Tate Nagy also had a scoring reception for the Jayhawks (1-0). Jalen Dupree, Micah Johnson and Donald Collier tacked on one rushing score apiece for Kansas.
Marshall completed 14 of 19 passes for 248 yards as the new starter after Jalon Daniels moved on to the NFL. Willis rushed for 72 yards on 11 carries in the decisive first half.
Luca Stanzani connected on 10 of 19 passes for 111 yards for the Sharks (0-2). He also was Long Island’s leading rusher with 20 yards on 12 attempts.
Will Johnson booted two fourth-quarter field goals as Long Island spoiled the Kansas bid for its first shutout victory since a 29-0 rout of Louisiana Tech in 2008.
Kansas outgained the Sharks 613-146 and registered 29 first downs to Long Island’s 11.
The Sharks have allowed 93 points in their two contests. The FCS program fell 42-21 at North Dakota on Aug. 27 in its opener.
The Jayhawks were never threatened and led by 30 points at halftime before substituting liberally in the second half.
Kansas struck first on Willis’ 5-yard run with 5:59 left in the first quarter. The ensuing two-point pass failed.
Martin Connington kicked a 32-yard field goal with 9:46 remaining in the first half to give the Jayhawks a nine-point advantage.
Willis scored from the 10 with 6:10 left in the half before Dupree reached the end zone on a 3-yard run to make it 23-0 with 3:50 to go.
Marshall connected on a 19-yard scoring pass to McMillan, a transfer from Buffalo, with 57 seconds remaining until the break.
The Jayhawks continued their assault by receiving the second-half kickoff and driving 72 yards on 15 plays. Nagy caught a 6-yard touchdown pass from Marshall on a play in which Long Island’s Jackson Barry deflected the ball high in the air and Nagy corralled it deep in the end zone.
Micah Johnson scored on an 8-yard run on the second play of the fourth quarter to make it 44-0.
After Will Johnson’s 39-yard field goal with 10:09 remaining put LIU on the board, the Jayhawks moved 74 yards on six plays with Collier scoring from the 3.
Will Johnson again connected from 39 yards with 1:56 left in the contest.