Kansas Fined After Damning Video Appears To Show Staffer Drop A Pocket Knife Amid Texas Tech Controversy

It's official, no 25-point blowout in college football has ever produced more drama than the Kansas-Texas Tech contest in Week 7. Coaches cussing out one another at midfield, tortillas being thrown, and allegations of a pocket knife landing on the Jayhawks' sideline have made for quite the fallout, and now, each school is poorer for it.

Both the Red Raiders and Jayhawks have been fined $25,000 and reprimanded after the fallout from Saturday's 42-17 Texas Tech victory.

Texas Tech was fined for "repeated instances" of fans throwing objects onto the playing surface. Red Raider fans have long thrown tortillas during games, but the action was banned by the Big 12 ahead of the season. Kansas' $25,000 fine has a more serious tone behind it, however, as the program was hit due "to disparaging comments about the Conference and a member institution, and an inaccurate statement regarding a pocket knife by head coach Lance Leipold," a statement read.

Shortly after sharing some very choice words with Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire after the final whistle, Kansas head coach Lance Leipold alleged during his postgame presser that one of his staffers was hit with a pocket knife that was tossed from the stands during the third quarter.

Days later, Texas Tech officials confirmed that a closed pocket knife was discovered on the Kansas sideline during the game. The knife was reportedly handed over to school officials, who then turned things over to the Texas Tech Police Department, which would go through gameday video to try and identify the person who tossed the pocket knife at the sideline. 

It appears that the person was found, and they weren't in the stands, nor were they wearing Texas Tech colors.

In a video obtained by Red Raider Nation's David Collier, grainy footage appears to show the knife falling out of the pocket of a Kansas staffer on the sideline before being picked up by a Jayhawks player who then hands it off to another member of the staff.

Nobody in the video in the vicinity of the knife reacts as if something was thrown at them.

Leipold and Kansas Athletic Director Travis Goff later released statements acknowledging the fine and apologized for speaking about the knife too soon.

"I appreciate the Big 12 Conference's thorough review of events that took place during our game last Saturday at Texas Tech. I accept their findings and ultimate ruling," Leipold stated. "I had an emotional reaction in the aftermath of the game and acknowledge that I need to be better. We are excited to move forward and finish our season strong."

Leipold was simply reacting to what he saw and/or heard, and was understandably sticking up for his staff and players in the moment, but in hindsight, speaking out and accusing someone of throwing a knife at one of his staffers was the wrong decision.