VALLEY / VENTURA COUNTY SPORTS : Northridge Suffers Toto Loss in Kansas : College football: Jayhawks send Matadors down to a school-record defeat, 71-14.

Well, it could have been worse.

Cal State Northridge’s 71-14 nonconference loss to Kansas before 33,300 at Memorial Stadium on Saturday night ranks as the second-worst margin of defeat in Matador history.

Kansas (1-1), coming off a 48-13 opening loss at Notre Dame, rolled up 637 yards, did not commit a turnover, punted only twice and permitted the Matadors only a glimpse of coming close in the first half while fulfilling most people’s expectation of a lopsided victory.

Northridge lost to Northern Arizona, 68-7, in 1995, the worst defeat in team history. Kansas’ 71 points were the most allowed by Northridge.

Henri Childs’ 72-yard punt return late in the first quarter gave Kansas a 17-0 lead and the Jayhawks extended the margin to 27-0 before the Matadors scored on a seven-yard scramble by Marcus Brady with two minutes left in the half.

Kansas doused any Matador momentum with a 29-yard scoring pass from Dylen Smith to David Winbush about a minute later for a 34-7 halftime lead.

“The score will be in the newspapers tomorrow and we gotta go back home and face that,” fullback Jaumal Bradley said. “But we hit people hard, we ran the ball hard and we didn’t roll over for them.”

Bradley rushed for a career-high 111 yards in 11 carries.

Brady, despite facing a heavy rush most of the game, engineered two lengthy touchdown drives punctuated by crucial completions to Drew Amerson and gains by Bradley.

Northridge (1-1), which was guaranteed $200,000 in revenue in February when the teams signed to play, emerged with no serious injuries. The Matadors weren’t so much embarrassed on the field as they were overmatched.

“I don’t feel disappointed or embarrassed,” defensive end Shawnbay Jones said. “We have to play people who are bigger and better than we are if we want to get better.”

With a bye before opening Big Sky Conference play Sept. 25 at Eastern Washington, things don’t appear so bad from the Matadors’ perspective.

Still, 71-14 stings.

“I don’t feel good,” interim Coach Jeff Kearin said. “The whole trip was a good experience for this team and this program. There was nothing wrong with that. But the whole time, our thought was that if we were to have success out here, we would have to execute the offense, and we didn’t do that. Then I looked up and we were way behind.”

Brady completed 17 of 34 passes for 180 yards and a touchdown. He threw two interceptions, both in the second half, and only one that could be considered a bad throw.

He was sacked twice, once for a safety in the third quarter.

“Actually, I didn’t think the pressure was that bad,” Brady said. “I was taking some shots but I had plenty of time.”

Brady’s footwork helped. He led the Matadors on a 10-play, 87-yard march in the second quarter that included completions of 38 and 17 yards to Amerson. Bradley ran 18 yards with a pitch on the drive before Brady scored.

Northridge marched 80 yards in nine plays to begin the third quarter and pull to within 34-14 on a 12-yard pass from Brady to Amerson.

“Our game plan was to come out and attack with short passes,” Kearin said. “But they batted them down. . . . We did a lot to help them.”