MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. _ The Streak is over. Finally.
The last time the Kansas football team had won a road game before Saturday, iPads did not exist. President Barack Obama was in the first year of his presidency, and Instagram was still a year from launching.
There are fourth-graders who have never witnessed a KU road win in their lifetimes. The skid lasted through five coaches _ including one interim _ through a nearly unimaginable span of ineptitude.
For that long _ since September of 2009 _ KU fans had waited patiently, trying to imagine what exactly it would take for their team to pick up a win away from Lawrence.
That answer came Saturday at Kelly/Shorts Stadium, as a dominant defensive effort that forced five turnovers combined with flashes of greatness from running back Pooka Williams helped KU to a 31-7 victory over Central Michigan.
Here's the historical significance: The Jayhawks broke a 46-game road losing streak, which had already topped the previous FBS record of 44 set by Western (Colo.) State from 1926-36 _ a mark set a few years before the United States entered World War II.
It was a different era of football then. An Associated Press article from Western State's streak-ending victory over Colorado College in 1937 praised the team for "packing a scoring punch" when it won the game 7-3. The game-winning touchdown also came on a double-pass from a fake field goal _ an event not likely to occur in today's game.
From a big-picture perspective, it's difficult to underplay the importance of getting that elusive road victory. KU's coaches already face a challenge in recruiting, and the program's black mark was going to continue to be a talking point until it no longer existed.
That day finally came on a windy and cool afternoon in Mount Pleasant.
Start with the defense. That was the biggest part of KU's breakthrough in this game.
Central Michigan had six first-half possessions and mustered one first down. The Jayhawks cut off running lanes and provided constant pressure on quarterback Tony Poljan, who rarely found open receivers.
KU, which only led 7-0 at halftime, saw its offense come to life after the break. That was helped by the explosive Williams, who sat out KU's opening loss against Nicholls State for what the team called a non-disciplinary matter.
Williams _ a true freshman who came to KU as one of the highest-rated recruits in program history _ broke multiple tackles on a 20-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, then sprung free on a draw play the next possession for a 41-yard score down the left sideline.
The defense made sure the lead would stand. KU senior linebacker Joe Dineen _ in his 40th game _ pulled down his first career interception, and early in the fourth quarter, Shakial Taylor leaped for a pick and spun off tackles for a 55-yard touchdown return to help push KU's advantage to 28-7.
Fourth-year coach David Beaty, facing heavy criticism after his team's season-opening home loss to Nicholls State, picked up his second FBS win; the only other one was a 2016 overtime victory over Texas.
The Jayhawks will play host to Rutgers at 11 a.m. next Saturday.
