LAWRENCE, Kan. - Kansas' Michael Cummings was handed the Jayhawk offense in the third quarter and with the help of a career-high 138 rushing yards by James Sims, the Jayhawks came within a touchdown of defeating Big 12 Conference opponent Oklahoma State in a 20-14 loss at Memorial Stadium Saturday.

The defense of Kansas (1-5 overall, 0-3 in league play) kept the game close to set up the potential late-game heroics. KU held Oklahoma State (3-2, 1-1) to its lowest point total since the 2010 Cotton Bowl, when the Cowboys were defeated 21-7 by Ole Miss.

Powered by a career-high 12 tackles from Jake Love and a career-best tying effort from Bradley McDougaldwith 12 stops, the Kansas defense held OSU to 371 yards of total offense, including 116 yards on the ground. Oklahoma State entered the game leading the nation with 55.8 points and 659 yards per game.

OSU opened the fourth quarter with a 42-yard field goal from Sharp to take a 20-0 lead. Cummings entered the game at quarterback in place of starter Dayne Crist and threw his first career touchdown with a 21-yard pass to Jimmay Mundineto put KU on the board, 20-7. Cummings completed five of his 10 pass attempts in the game for 75 yards. On the ensuing Kansas drive, Sims ran in a 30-yard touchdown and was responsible for 58 of the 73 yards on the drive to make it a 20-14 game with 8:52 on the clock. Sims had 27 carries in the game.

The Jayhawks were forced to punt following their next drive and a roughing the kicker penalty against Kansas with less than two minutes remaining eliminated any chance of the KU offense regaining possession. Oklahoma State ran out the clock to seal the victory.

The game opened with a scoreless first quarter that included four failed fourth-down conversion tries between the two teams, including a fake field goal attempt by Kansas, a one hour and 19 minute weather delay and a combined 184 yards of total offense. Oklahoma State's second failed fourth-down attempt occurred inside KU's 20-yard line and marked the first time this season that the Cowboys were unable to score in the red zone ending their 25-for-25 string.

Oklahoma State's J.W. Walsh put the Cowboys on the board midway through the second quarter with a 4-yard touchdown run for a 7-0 lead. The six-play, 51-yard drive was highlighted by a 31-yard pass from Walsh to Tracy Moore. Walsh threw for 255 yards on 18-for-29 passing.

OSU increased its lead to 10-0 with a 49-yard field goal by Quinn Sharp on a 48-yard drive at the end of the first half. The Cowboys tried to increase their lead on the final play of the second quarter, but Sharp's 52-yard field goal attempt sailed wide left.

KU defense held OSU to its lowest first-half score in its last 14 games. The 10 points was the fewest first-half points scored by the Cowboys in over a year when OSU posted three points at the half at Texas A&M on Sept. 24, 2011.

Following a stalled offensive drive by Kansas, OSU had the only score of the third quarter from Charlie Moore's 72-yard touchdown pass from Walsh, which marked the longest play from scrimmage for the Cowboys this season.

Kansas will be back in action next Saturday when the Jayhawks travel to No. 10-ranked Oklahoma. The game is scheduled to kickoff at 6 p.m., and will be televised on FOX Sports Net.