It took KU 50 minutes of game time to pull away from Missouri State on Friday night.

The Jayhawks were without Big 12 Preseason Offensive Player of the Year Jalon Daniels as the quarterback has been dealing with back tightness in fall camp. He missed four games last year due to a shoulder injury suffered against TCU.

It was Jason Bean who started at quarterback after deciding to stick around for another year in Lawrence, and he was solid in his season debut.

He finished the game going 22-for-28 with 276 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. He also ran for 41 yards as well.

Speaking of running, Devin Neal showcased his talents including a 48-yard touchdown in the first quarter. Neal also had a receiving touchdown. He was one of four ball carriers with a score including Daniel Hishaw Jr., Dylan McDuffie and Sevion Morrison.

The defense struggled in the first half, but as the offense got going, the defense followed and forced a pair of interceptions.

It was a 21-point fourth quarter that put the Jayhawks over the edge. They led 27-17 with a little over ten minutes left, which is a little concerning if you’re a KU fan.

However, with the defense showing signs of life late, it was the offense that was lagging a bit. That will change when Daniels is healthy and back on the field.

KU improves to 1-0 and will get Illinois at home next Friday at 6:30 p.m.