Kansas football vs. BYU Cougars: Five things to know before Jayhawks play on Saturday
It wasn’t a particularly dominant victory, but the Kansas Jayhawks walked out of Mackay Stadium on Saturday with a 31-24 win over Nevada.
Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels finished 21-for-27 passing for 298 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. Running back Devin Neal added three touchdowns while running for 89 yards.
It wasn’t the best performance for the Jayhawks — Lance Leipold and Daniels said as much — but it was a win nonetheless.
“At the end of the day, we were able to grab that win,” Daniels said. “We’re not going to complain about another win in the win column.”
KU (3-0) begins conference play on Saturday against undefeated BYU. It’s KU’s second consecutive 3-0 start and the first time the Jayhawks have done that since the 1991 and 1992 seasons.
The Cougars (3-0) enter Saturday’s game off a 38-31 victory over Arkansas. Both teams have looked impressive at times, and KU’s defense has certainly exceeded expectations early.
Now let’s get to the matchup...
Game details
Kickoff: 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23
Where: David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium (Lawrence)
TV: ESPN
Radio: Jayhawk Radio Network; WHB (810) in Kansas City
Early betting line: Kansas is a 9.5-point favorite
Five things to know
1. It’s the first-ever Big 12 conference game for BYU, who joined the league this July. The two teams have their second all-time meeting, as they previously faced off in the Aloha Bowl on Christmas Day 1992. Kansas won the first matchup 23-20.
2. BYU QB Kedon Slovis is uber-talented, but KU’s defense matches up well. The 6-foot-3 senior QB has put together an excellent season, throwing for 660 yards with six touchdowns to one interception. Still, Kansas’ defense has done a fantastic job limiting teams in the passing game, with opposing teams averaging 152.7 yards in the air.
3. This game is another opportunity for coach Lance Leipold and his squad to showcase themselves to a national audience. KU will appear on ESPN for the third time under Leipold and a second time in the regular season. The other two times: KU faced Arkansas in the Liberty Bowl last year and No. 3 Oklahoma in 2021.
4. BYU’s rushing attack is lackluster. The Cougars average 78.3 yards per game with an average of 2.7 yards per carry. By comparison, KU averages 216.7 yards per game and 5.3 YPC. KU’s defense has limited opposing teams to 121 rushing yards per game.
5. KU’s offense is red-hot. After ranking top 10 in multiple offensive metrics last season, the Jayhawks continue to impress on offense. Daniels has a 169 passer rating and is averaging 10.2 yards per attempt. KU also ranks third in the nation in third-down conversion rate (62.9%) while averaging 500.3 yards in total offense, ranking No. 17 overall.
