Sep 8, 2023; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks quarterback Jalon Daniels (6) against Illinois Fighting Illini defensive lineman Jer'Zhan Newton (4) during the first half at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

Kansas, UCF have quarterback concerns for Big 12 game

Kansas and UCF have questions as to the identity of their respective starting quarterbacks for Saturday’s Big 12 Conference game in Lawrence, Kan.

Traditional starter Jalon Daniels’ recurring back issue flared up before the Jayhawks’ game against No. 3 Texas last Saturday. Jason Bean was summoned to start for the second time this season for Kansas (4-1, 1-1 Big 12) and completed just 9 of 21 passes for 136 yards in a 40-14 setback to the Longhorns.

On Monday, Jayhawks coach Lance Leipold labeled Daniels’ health as a “day-to-day situation.”

“I know he’s working at it, he and I had multiple conversations yesterday and today already, and (we’ll) see where it takes us,” Leipold said of Daniels, the Big 12 Preseason Offensive Player of the Year.

Kansas can rely on its potent rushing attack to more than pick up the slack.

Devin Neal has rushed for 439 yards and five touchdowns this season, while Daniel Hishaw Jr. has added 279 and four, respectively. Both running backs are averaging a robust 6.8 yards per carry.

Like Kansas, UCF (3-2, 0-2) has its own quarterback situation to address.

John Rhys Plumlee appears poised to return after suffering a leg injury in the Knights’ 18-16 victory over Boise State on Sept. 9. South Florida transfer Timmy McClain has been under center, completeing 61 percent of his passes for 872 yards and seven touchdowns.

“(Plumlee) did get some 7-on-7 last week,” UCF coach Gus Malzahn said Monday. “So we’ll see how he looks. Timmy continues to improve in many areas, so we’ll probably make a call on Wednesday.”

UCF enters Saturday’s clash on a two-game skid. The Knights lost 44-31 to Kansas State on Sept. 23 before seeing a 28-point lead evaporate in a 36-35 setback to Baylor last Saturday.

Saturday’s meeting will mark the first ever between the schools in football.

–Field Level Media

Texas Longhorns running back Jonathon Brooks makes a long run against the Kansas Jayhawks in the second quarter at Royal-Memorial Stadium on Saturday September 30, 2023.

Jonathon Brooks carries No. 3 Texas past No. 24 Kansas

Jonathon Brooks ran for career-high 217 yards and two touchdowns as No. 3 Texas ran up and down the field on short-handed No. 24 Kansas in a 40-14 win on Saturday in Austin, Texas.

It was the first time the teams have faced each other with both being ranked in the Associated Press poll.

The Longhorns dominated throughout, racking up 661 total yards to just 260 for Kansas, which played without star quarterback Jalon Daniels, the preseason Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year. Daniels missed the game because of a back issue that flared up in pregame warmups.

Quinn Ewers passed for 325 yards and a touchdown and ran for two more scores as Texas (5-0, 2-0 Big 12) has won its first five games for the first time since 2009. Adonai Mitchell hauled in 10 catches (one for a TD) for 141 yards to lead the Longhorns’ receiving corps.

Jason Bean was just 9-of-21 passing for 136 yards in Daniels’ stead, with 58 of those yards on his lone scoring pass. Kansas (4-1, 1-1) had a four-game winning streak snapped.

Texas drove 88 yards in seven plays to the game’s opening score, Ewers’ 30-yard TD run with 10:06 to play in the first quarter. The Longhorns added a 26-yard field goal from Bert Auburn with 1:52 to play in the quarter.

Kansas got on the board when Daniel Hishaw picked up a fumble by Bean and scooted 18 yards for a touchdown to cut the deficit to 10-7 with 14:05 to play in the second quarter.

The Longhorns answered with a 30-yard FG by Auburn at the 11:15 mark three snaps after Brooks ripped off a 67-yard run.

Brooks broke through a huge hole up the middle and ran untouched for a 54-yard TD on the first possession of the third quarter that pushed Texas’ lead to 20-7.

The Jayhawks responded immediately as Bean hit Trevor Wilson on a 58-yard scoring pass to bring the deficit back to six points.

Brooks racked up his second rushing TD on a 1-yard plunge at right guard to make it 26-14 with 2:33 to play in the third.

Texas added fourth-quarter TDs on a 9-yard Ewers-to-Mitchell pass and a 1-yard quarterback keeper.

–Field Level Media

Texas offensive lineman Kelvin Banks Jr. (78) and Texas running back CJ Baxter (4) celebrate a touchdown against Baylor in the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, in Waco, Texas.

Perfect seasons on line as No. 3 Texas, No. 24 Kansas clash

No. 3 Texas and No. 24 Kansas will look to continue torrid starts to the season when they square off in Austin, Texas, on Saturday afternoon in a bid to stay atop the Big 12 Conference standings.

Saturday’s dustup will be the first time the two programs have ever played each other while both are ranked. It also marks the final time the squads will meet as Big 12 opponents with Texas moving to the Southeastern Conference in 2024.

Both teams are 4-0 overall and 1-0 in conference play, with the Longhorns reaching that mark for the first time since 2012 and the Jayhawks doing so for the second straight year. Kansas has posted a 4-0 start in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1914-15.

Texas heads home on the heels of a dominant 38-6 win at Baylor last Saturday in its league opener, with Quinn Ewers passing for 293 yards and a touchdown and running for 16 yards and another score. Jonathon Brooks rushed for 106 yards and two TDs on 18 carries in the win, and Ja’Tavion Sanders caught five passes for 110 yards for the Longhorns.

The Longhorns were just as impressive on defense, allowing just three points on three Baylor possessions in the red zone over the second and third quarters. They also turned over the Bears on downs twice during that span, once by intercepting a pass in the end zone.

“We try to be a versatile football team — not just on offense. We try to do as many things as we can really well,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said. “We’re not one dimensional, and we’re going to have the ability this season to win games in a variety of ways.”

Sarkisian said the Longhorns have discussed Kansas’ 57-56 overtime win against them in 2021 — perhaps Texas’ low point in a 5-7 season — in preparation for this year’s contest.

“This game has got our undivided attention,” Sarkisian said. “In a weird way, I’m kind of glad (the loss in 2021) happened because it exposed some warts in our program that needed to get removed. If we hadn’t removed those warts, we might not be where we are today in our program.”

Kansas travels to Austin after defeating BYU 38-27 at home last weekend.

The Jayhawks used a 22-yard fumble return from Cobee Bryant to race to an early lead and then added a 30-yard pick-six by Kenny Logan Jr. early in the third quarter to augment the 184 total yards and three TDs by quarterback Jalon Daniels.

Kansas was up just 35-27 with 8:02 to play but put the game away with a drive that used 6:29 of clock and culminated in a 23-yard field goal from Seth Keller.

The Jayhawks won their first five games last year before Daniels got injured. They limped home, losing six of their last seven regular-season games before falling to Arkansas in the Liberty Bowl.

“It’s a very special moment for us,” Kansas safety O.J. Burroughs said. “We had this opportunity last year; we know how it felt, so we’re not going to let it get away like how (it) did last year.”

The Jayhawks’ 2021 win in Austin still draws questions, much to the chagrin of Kansas coach Lance Leipold.

“Old news,” Leipold said. “Doesn’t matter. Both teams are significantly better. Honestly, it’s so far in the past, we got to keep moving.”

The Longhorns are 17-4 against Kansas all-time and 9-1 when the teams play in Austin. Texas defeated Kansas in Lawrence last season, 55-14.

–Field Level Media

Sep 23, 2023; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks safety Kenny Logan Jr. (1) breaks up a pass intended for Brigham Young Cougars tight end Isaac Rex (83) during the first half at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

Big defensive plays key Kansas victory over BYU

Kansas turned two big defensive plays into 14 points and spoiled BYU’s Big 12 debut by beating the Cougars 38-27 on Saturday in Lawrence, Kan.

Kenny Logan Jr. brought back an interception 30 yards for a touchdown that vaulted the Jayhawks (4-0, 1-0 Big 12) ahead 21-17 on the third play from scrimmage in the third quarter.

At the outset, on BYU’s first possession since joining the conference this summer, Kansas cornerback Cobee Bryant delivered a jarring upper-body hit on Parker Kingston, who fumbled in the backfield. BYU (3-1, 0-1) wanted targeting called, but Bryant recovered and went 22 yards for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead.

The Jayhawks’ Jalon Daniels threw for three touchdowns, and the second one, a 5-yard play to Luke Grimm, extended the lead to 28-20 with 4:53 left in the third quarter.

BYU’s Kedon Slovis completed 30 of 51 passes for 357 yards and two touchdowns but was picked off twice. The Cougars had only 9 yards rushing on 22 carries.

The second interception came on fourth-and-7 from the Kansas 34 late in the third quarter. The Jayhawks took full advantage, as Daniels again went to Grimm, this time for 13 yards, to end a seven-play drive and push the lead to 35-20.

BYU closed to within 35-27 with 8:02 left to play on Keelan Marion’s 6-yard run, but Kansas chewed 6:26 off the clock before getting a 23-yard field goal from Seth Keller to ice the victory.

Daniels went 14 of 19 passing for 130 yards. He also rushed for 54, and Devin Neal carried 17 times for 91 yards.

Darius Lassiter had eight catches for 84 yards and a touchdown, and Isaac Rex had seven receptions for 76 yards for BYU.

Kingston did not return after the fumble. He left the sidelines in the first quarter and returned to the bench without pads.

BYU’s third 10-plus-play drive of the first half led to Will Ferrin’s 33-yard field goal and a 17-14 lead with 4:20 left in the second quarter. The Cougars converted a fourth-and-2 from the Kansas 40 on Slovis’ 16-yard pass to Rex on the 12-play march.

–Field Level Media

Nevada takes on Kansas at Mackay Stadium in Reno on Sept. 16, 2023.

Kansas holds off Nevada with help of Devin Neal’s 3 TDs

Devin Neal rushed for three touchdowns, including the tiebreaking score in the fourth quarter, as Kansas survived Nevada’s surprising upset bid to earn a 31-24 nonconference win in Reno, Nev., on Saturday night.

Neal’s 3-yard run with 6:20 left in the game snapped a 24-24 deadlock and allowed the Jayhawks (3-0) to stay unbeaten. Jalon Daniels hit 21 of 27 passes for 298 yards, going 11-for-11 in the second half, as Kansas rolled up 441 total yards.

Quarterback Brendon Lewis completed 15 of 22 passes for 113 yards and rushed for two scores for the Wolf Pack (0-3), tying the game on a 2-yard run with 10:37 remaining in the fourth quarter. But on Nevada’s last chance to tie or win the game, Jamaal Bell was stopped for a 3-yard loss on fourth-and-1 with 44 seconds remaining.

Neal finished with 89 yards on 17 attempts for Kansas, which also got a 1-yard touchdown run from Daniel Hishaw in the third quarter to take a 17-10 lead. Lewis tied it at 17 with a 6-yard scoring run with 3:33 left in the period, but the Jayhawks regained the seven-point advantage 33 seconds later on a 1-yard run by Neal.

Kansas entered the game as a 28-point favorite against an opponent that was outscored 99-20 in losing its first two games against USC and Idaho. But Nevada delivered its best effort despite being outgained decisively.

The Jayhawks opened the game with an impressive 75-yard touchdown drive, capped by Neal’s 3-yard run up the middle at the 9:46 mark of the first quarter. But all Kansas managed for the first half’s remainder was a 44-yard field goal by Seth Keller with 8:55 left before the break.

The Wolf Pack got on the board 11 seconds into the second quarter when Brandon Talton made a 42-yard field goal. They put together their best drive to close the first half, going 78 yards on 10 plays and cashing in when Sean Dollars scored from the 3 with 29 seconds remaining for a 10-10 tie at the break.

–Field Level Media

Sep 1, 2023; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks quarterback Jalon Daniels (6) during a timeout in the first half against the Missouri State Bears at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Kansas QB Jalon Daniels (back) likely to play vs. Illinois

Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels, who has been limited due to back stiffness, is likely to play Friday night against Illinois, ESPN reported.

It was unclear Thursday whether Daniels or backup Jason Bean will start the game.

Daniels, the Big 12 preseason Offensive Player of the Year, missed the season opener against Missouri State because of the back issue, but ESPN reported he took a “significant amount of snaps” in practice this week.

The back tightness also impacted him during summer practice.

Daniels missed four games last season with a shoulder injury but appeared in nine, throwing for 2,014 yards and 18 touchdowns with four interceptions. He also ran for 425 yards and seven scores.

The Jayhawks beat Missouri State 48-17 in the season opener last Friday behind Bean, who tallied 276 yards and two touchdowns. Bean started four games last season and nine in 2021.

Like Kansas, Illinois is 1-0 after defeating Toledo 30-28 last Saturday.

–Field Level Media

Kansas junior quarterback Jalon Daniels (6) practices passes during Tuesday's outdoor practice.

Kansas QB Jalon Daniels (back) expected to start vs. Missouri State

Kansas standout quarterback Jalon Daniels is expected to start Friday night against Missouri State despite dealing with a back injury during fall camp.

The preseason Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year hasn’t had a lot of practice work leading up to the season opener.

“We just released the two-deep, and that’s kind of where we’re at right now and where we’re going,” Jayhawks coach Lance Leipold said Monday. “He hasn’t practiced a lot, but he went through everything today, and yeah, we’re planning on playing everyone who is available.”

Jason Bean is listed as the backup quarterback on the depth chart.

Daniels passed for 2,014 yards, 18 touchdowns and just four interceptions last season. He also rushed for 425 yards and seven scores.

Leipold said he isn’t concerned about playing Daniels against an FCS program like Missouri State.

“That’s the balancing act we have to do here,” Leipold said. “We’re getting him as much work as we can, as many different ways as we can. He’s been getting work; he’s been doing things. To make it sound like he’s never practiced the last two weeks is not accurate, either. We’re confident.

“Unfortunately for him, it’s something he’s gone through before, getting little reps and where he is at, but I think we’re in a good spot with him.”

–Field Level Media

Nov 25, 2022; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback KJ Jefferson (1) throws a pass against the Missouri Tigers during the game at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Kansas ends bowl drought vs. Arkansas in Liberty Bowl

It’s often the case for bowl games. One team is excited to be there while the other accepted the bid reluctantly. That’s certainly the case for the Liberty Bowl on Wednesday in Memphis, Tenn.

Kansas (6-6) reached a bowl game for the first time since 2008. The Jayhawks ended the season by losing six of their last seven games, but a bowl is more than just about anybody affiliated with the program expected in September.

Arkansas (6-6) meanwhile will play in the Liberty Bowl for the sixth time after finishing fifth in the SEC West. The Razorbacks had much higher expectations after entering the season ranked No. 19 in the Associated Press Top 25.

Arkansas coach Sam Pittman has been trying to put on a happy face regarding the game.

“We’re extremely excited to be headed to Memphis to play a really good Kansas team in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl,” Pittman said after the bowl announcement. “Coach (Lance) Leipold and his staff have done a tremendous job with their team, and we look forward to the challenge. For us, the opportunity to play a bowl game in what we consider our backyard is going to be special. We can’t wait to see our fans in Memphis.”

Arkansas uses a balanced attack on offense. The Hogs average 230.3 yards per game through the air, and slightly less (223.4) on the ground. Raheim Sanders leads the Razorbacks with 1,426 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. KJ Jefferson threw for 2,361 yards with 22 touchdowns and just four interceptions.

The Jayhawks were picked to finish last in the Big 12 but were one of two undefeated teams left in the conference when they lost to TCU on Oct. 8. Quarterback Jalon Daniels got early Heisman Trophy attention, but he injured his shoulder against the Horned Frogs and missed the next five games. He came back for the final two games.

Leipold has plenty of reason to celebrate the bowl selection. The Jayhawks won a total of four conference games over the previous seven seasons and went 2-10 overall in 2021.

“If you really held it up to me, I would say I didn’t know if we could make the jump from two wins to six maybe immediately,” he said after the selection. “But I’d never bet against this group and the coaches that work with them daily.”

–Field Level Media

Kansas' head football coach Lance Leipold looks up during the Big 12 football game against Texas Tech, Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, at Jones AT&T Stadium.

Reports: Kansas extends coach Lance Leipold thru 2029

Amid the resurgence of its football program that saw the team ranked in the Top 25 for a spell earlier this year, Kansas signed coach Lance Leipold to a new contract with an extension through the 2029 season, multiple reports said Tuesday night.

Kansas (6-5, 3-5 Big 12) is bowl eligible for the first time since 2008. The Jayhawks spent two weeks in October ranked in the AP poll, which they hadn’t achieved since 2009.

Leipold, previously the coach at Buffalo, took over the Jayhawks in March 2021 after the school fired Les Miles amid allegations that he behaved inappropriately with female students.

After a 2-10 finish in 2021 highlighted by a 57-56 upset over Texas, Kansas opened this season 5-0 with conference wins over West Virginia and Iowa State. The Jayhawks went on to add a 37-16 beatdown of then-No. 18 Oklahoma State.

It’s already Leipold’s second extension in 19 months on the job. In September, Kansas announced a one-year extension that brought his contract at the time through the 2027 season.

Despite that, Leipold’s name was linked to vacancies at Nebraska and Arizona State earlier this season.

Under Turner Gill, Charlie Weis, interim coach Clint Bowen, David Beaty and Miles from 2010-20, Kansas football had gone a combined 21-108 with winless seasons in 2015 and 2020.

–Field Level Media