Jordan Webb threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to D.J. Beshears on 4th-and-goal with 9 seconds left to lift host Kansas to a 45-42 victory over Northern Illinois Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Lawrence, Kan.

Trailing 42-38 with 5:03 remaining, the Jayhawks took over possession at the Northern Illinois 44-yard line after Beshears returned the kickoff 41 yards. Kansas converted a fourth-and-2 from the 7-yard line, and four plays later, Webb found Beshears for the go-ahead score.

The decisive score capped off a wild game that saw the teams tied at the end of the first, second and third quarters.

Webb went 21-of-30 for 281 yards and three touchdowns for the Jayhawks, who won their 24th game in their last 26 tries against a non-conference opponent. Kansas (2-0), which finished 3-9 in 2010, also improved to 8-6 all-time against MAC opponents.

The loss spoiled a huge effort by Northern Illinois’ Chandler Harnish, whose dual-threat game proved difficult for the Jayhawks to stop all evening.

Harnish, Northern Illinois’ senior quarterback, ran for three touchdowns and threw for two more for the Huskies, who fell to 1-1 on the year after an opening-week victory over Army.

Harnish finished 27-of-33 for 315 yards passing and ran for a team-high 89 yards on 11 carries.

Kansas, who was led by James Sims’ 110 yards rushing and two touchdowns, outgained Northern Illinois 534-462. The Jayhawks trailed by as many as 14 points in the second quarter before tying the score at 21 at the half.