Kansas did everything it could to prevent UNLV from winning the college football game in Kansas City on Friday night. One particular move, which the Jayhawks will surely claim to be an accident, is subject to heightened scrutiny.
They are being accused of unethical behavior.
The tomfoolery in question took place late in the second quarter. Electrifying transfer quarterback Matthew Sluka — better known as Sluka Doncic — led the Rebels into the red zone with his legs.
However, he was sacked for a loss of nine on 2nd-and-7 at the Kansas 24-yard-line. UNLV was unable to rally on 3rd-and-16, which forced head coach Barry Odom to call out the field goal team.
Freshman kicker Caden Chittenden trotted onto the field for a 51-yard attempt.
In that moment, Children’s Mercy Park suddenly went dark. The Jayhawks moved right into a light show that flashed throughout the entire stadium. It was a visual disturbance right as Chittenden lined up for a lengthy boot. He proceeded to miss.
Las Vegas-based reporter Paloma Villicana accused the home team of pulling a “dirty move.”
There might be some bias in her opinion. Others might say it was harmless gamesmanship.
Perhaps the light show was already planned for that moment. Maybe there was indeed an underlying purpose. We don’t know. Nobody is going to admit to the truth if it was intentional.
Regardless of your stance on Kansas’ coincidentally-timed light show, the shenanigans proved to be effective. Chittenden did not make the field goal so it worked!
Despite their opponent’s best efforts to pull out a win at all cost, the Rebels ultimately got the last laugh. They got paid a small fortune to win their second game of the season against a Big-12 team.
Not even a “coincidentally-timed” light show could make the difference.