LAWRENCE, Kan. _ The double move worked.
LaQuvionte Gonzalez faked inside, then sprinted down the field wide open. Quarterback Montell Cozart saw him, then delivered a deep pass in his reach.
What happened next in Kansas' 44-20 loss to Oklahoma State was a good summary of the Jayhawks' season to this point. Gonzalez missed the catch, allowing it to bounce off his facemask and pads. The deflection went into the arms of safety Jordan Sterns, who later lateraled it as the Cowboys used a pair of pitches to pick up 64 return yards.
And a potential touchdown that could have made it a four-point game in the third quarter instead turned into a severe mistake in a game that featured three more KU turnovers to bump the Jayhawks' nation-leading total up to 25 in seven games.
Coach David Beaty announced a quarterback switch early Saturday morning, turning his team over to Cozart over Ryan Willis.
The decision worked out well through a half.
Cozart completed 13 of 19 passes before halftime, which included a well-placed deep ball to Gonzalez for a 68-yard touchdown that gave the Jayhawks a first-quarter lead. Perhaps more importantly, Cozart also limited mistakes. He had no turnovers or fumbles in the first half for a team entered the week leading the nation with 22 giveaways lost.
The Jayhawks, helped by an improved run game, found plenty of early success. KU had more yards in the first half (236) than it did in the entire previous game against Baylor (217) while averaging 6.9 yards per play.
For KU, which trailed 17-13 at halftime, it all came unraveled in the third quarter. Running back Ke'aun Kinner fumbled on the Jayhawks first possession of the second half, and the Cowboys followed with a touchdown.
After KU engineered a TD drive, Cozart had his worst play when he threw an interception to 310-pound defensive tackle DeQuinton Osborne, who was dropping in coverage on a zone blitz. Osborne's return to the 1 made for another easy scoring drive.
Gonzalez's miscue came on the next drive when the deep pass quickly went from a game-changing play for KU to one for Oklahoma State.
Cozart finished 24 of 40 passing for 250 yards with a touchdown and the two interceptions. Kinner had 14 carries for 145 yards with the fumble, while Gonzalez added 106 receiving yards.
KU (1-6, 0-4 Big 12) will travel to Oklahoma for a game next week.
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