Kansas gets first bowl win in 10 years

FORT WORTH, Texas – Jason Swanson threw for 307 yards and four touchdowns, one more than he had in the regular season, and the Kansas Jayhawks beat Houston 42-13 Friday night in the Fort Worth Bowl to cap their first winning season in 10 years with their first bowl victory in that span.

Tailback Jon Cornish turned two shovel passes from Swanson into scores, and also rushed for 101 yards on 16 carries. Brian Murph, who hadn’t returned a kick all season, turned a muffed punt into an 85-yard score in the first quarter that put the Jayhawks (7-5) ahead to stay. He also caught a 48-yard TD pass.

Kansas had been in one other bowl since a victory over UCLA in the 1995 Aloha Bowl capped a 10-2 season. The Jayhawks lost 56-26 to North Carolina State in the 2003 Tangerine Bowl that ended Mark Mangino’s second year as coach.

Houston (6-6) has lost six straight bowls since winning the 1980 Garden State Bowl.

Swanson started his fifth straight game, going 19 for 29 in his fourth victory and earning MVP honors.

The senior was the third starting quarterback used by Kansas this year. He hurt his leg during the preseason, but took over in late October after Adam Barrman and Brian Luke struggled.