Kansas 31, South Dakota 14: James Sims rushed a for a game-high 94 yards and two touchdowns as the host Jayhawks cruised to a season-opening victory.

Junior college transfer Jake Heaps completed 10-of-20 passes for 110 yards and a touchdown in his Kansas debut. Darrian Miller added 14 carries for 72 yards for Kansas (1-0), which finished with 280 rushing yards.

Dual-threat Coyotes quarterback Josh Vander Maten was 8-for-18 for 67 yards, one touchdown and one interception and ran for another 78 yards and a score. Jordan Roberts added 73 yards on the ground as South Dakota (1-1) ran for 219 yards.

After Vander Maten found Drew Potter for a 2-yard score with 2:18 left in the first quarter, the Jayhawks scored 24 straight points. Sims rushed in from 1 yard out 32 seconds into the second quarter before Heaps threw a 5-yard TD toss to Justin McCay with 1:28 left in the frame to give Kansas a 14-7 halftime lead.

Sims scored from 6 yards out with 7:34 left in the third quarter and Jayhawks kicker Matthew Wyman hit from 45 yards out to finish the stretch with 12:24 left. Vander Maten logged a 9-yard rushing touchdown 4:48 later before Kansas running back Brandon Bourbon finished the scoring with an 8-yard TD run with 5:59 to play.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Heaps transferred from Brigham Young before sitting out last season. ... Kansas improved to 9-1 in season openers since 2004 and 26-3 in non-conference home games since 2003. ... Jayhawks PR Connor Embree returned four punts for 92 yards, including a 42-yarder.