Kansas5-71Lance Leipold's fifth season at Kansas begins with Chase Jenkins (QB) arriving as the headline addition in a top-36 portal class, following a 5-7 season that underscored the program's long-standing football struggles.
Kansas is a basketball cathedral that, for a few Jalon Daniels seasons, made football matter in Lawrence — every win a bonus on top of a banner-filled gym that never needed the gridiron at all.
Fans are tired of being told their school only cares from November to March — that football is a hobby in a basketball town. They point at the Orange Bowl banner and the Leipold revival and ask to be…
Approaching
30 days
until kickoff · vs Long Island University · Sat Sep 5 · 00:00 UTC
Kansas is the basketball school whose Lance Leipold rebuild from 1-11 to bowl games + Jalon Daniels Heisman buzz reset what historic-football-disappointment can become.
The team returns only 41% of its roster, with 26 transfers departing and 31 arriving, while recruiting ranks at #61. The incoming class includes notable additions in DL and RB positions.
Big Jay is patient.
the open questionwhere does it go from here?
Kansas enters 2025 at No. 58 in SP+ — the 8-spot drop from 2024 puts Leipold’s progress under the microscope after back-to-back losing records.
Boden Groen is used almost exclusively underneath -- a low share of his targets are downfield shots.
Emmanuel Henderson Jr. is a real deep-ball threat -- a high share of his targets come on throws past the sticks.
Leshon Williams gets LESS work in the fourth quarter with a lead than his overall workload would predict -- not the trusted closer raw carries might suggest.
Leshon Williams: a garbage time merchant signal screened this season.
Lance Leipold's fifth season opens with a 5-7 losing record, but the coordinator change and Jalon Daniels' Heisman buzz signal a program redefining its historic football identity.
Lance Leipold's fifth season at Kansas begins with Chase Jenkins (QB) arriving as the headline addition in a top-36 portal class, following a 5-7 season that underscored the program's long-standing football struggles.
Melvin Council Jr. sues NCAA for extra year
Council lost two EDGE contributors to the draft and ranks 61st in class — a lawsuit buying one more year at that spot isn't a minor procedural move, it's Leipold's most realistic fix for a position the depth chart can't paper over.
Top 3 commits
Fan confidence in a typical range for this program right now
40th percentile among FBS programs
Market outlook
Sportsbook consensus · best odds across multiple books · 2026-08-06
Kansas · Next-Season Outcome Band
Final-season-aware projection: floor / base / ceiling include conference title and CFP games where the model supports them, so a ceiling can exceed a 12-game regular season.
Kansas enters 2025 rated No. 58 in SP+ (+4.1), down 8 spots from 2024. SP+ describes what the program HAS done, not what it will do. The season is the field test. The preview consensus leans in — but preseason ratings reward the recent past, not the season ahead.
The 'the projection is underselling us' read -- fans betting the season beats the preview number.
The 'the model has seen the tape' counter -- efficiency ratings reward what a program has actually done, not hope.
Nothing in our corpus yet — this door stays open for when there is.
This event was in 59 of 238 board posts (25%) over the last 60 days — a fanbase consumed by it. Fan text shown verbatim, attributed to the community not the individual poster.
Board health this week (150 posts): 15% positive · 53% neutral · 32% negative. Team-level weekly mood — not specific to this event. The boards ≠ the fanbase: a self-selected vocal slice.
Kansas: coordinator change reshaping a unit.
The optimistic read: momentum, and the 'this is real' takes.
The analytical counter: rankings, results, and 'the hype is ahead of the tape' takes.
Nothing in our corpus yet — this door stays open for when there is.
This event was in 45 of 238 board posts (19%) over the last 60 days — a fanbase consumed by it. Fan text shown verbatim, attributed to the community not the individual poster.
Board health this week (150 posts): 15% positive · 53% neutral · 32% negative. Team-level weekly mood — not specific to this event. The boards ≠ the fanbase: a self-selected vocal slice.
Recent Form · last 10 games
One of five. The film room is busy this week.
Opens Sep 5
vs Long Island University · at home
✓ fact on line · ~ our read on style
Fan mood index · most recent r/cfb data
Recruiting Footprint · 2026
KS leads the 2026 class with 7 commits. National footprint reaching 8 states.
Where they recruit · 2023-2026
67 signees across 15 states, 2023-2026. KS leads the pull.
Top community posts · last 12 months · r/cfb
10 games with TV coverage: 2 national broadcast, 4 ESPN, 4 cable
Kickoff windows: 4 noon, 4 afternoon, 2 primetime
67% recovery rate on their own fumbles — well above the ~51% league baseline.
10 of 15 own fumbles recovered themselves; 6 of 13 forced fumbles recovered, 2025 only.
8% of tipped/broken-up passes have turned into picks — below the ~19% league average, and due for more.
4 interceptions of 52 disrupted passes (48 deflected, 4 intercepted), 2025 only.
60 penalties committed, 67 drawn on opponents — netting a 95-yard field-position edge.
477 penalty yards committed vs. 572 drawn on opponents, 2025 season total.
What moved it — fall camp · last 14 days
Fanbase Signals
Position = mood · width = volume · color = the kind of feeling
Inside the fanbase — all 7 corners
One voice
How Kansas fans actually talk real · top-upvoted
The crowd’s loudest take by upvotes — read for mood, not as a side. The cohort read is the measured part.
The room, end to end
Cohort sentiment is a source-weighted model read — never a quote pinned to a person.
What this fanbase keeps coming back to our read · topic model
Topics are model-labeled from Reddit — a rough signal of what this fanbase is circling right now.
~ our readKansas fans are down on the program, but it's more feel than fact right now.
✓ counted We read 150 posts from Kansas fans this week.
Fan claims · every quote verified verbatim
This team can't compete for anything until they can learn how to win a close game, the amount of drops and the inability of our defense to get a stop on 3rd and 4th down is going to cost us several more games this season if they can't get it fixed
Based on 5 comments from 3 posters across 4 threads · Aug 30, 2025–Oct 25, 2025 · via CFB
To start every single referee that worked this game needs to be investigated. With that being said, this loss still falls heavily on the coaching staff and specifically on leipold.
Based on 1 comment from 1 poster across 1 thread · Nov 9, 2025 · via CFB
Seen enough. Let Ballard get some reps and then Marshall later in the 2nd half
Based on 1 comment from 1 poster across 1 thread · Aug 30, 2025 · via CFB
Coach Z has always been good, but getting Coach Lubick back was so massive this offseason. Significant reason why our offense with Kotelnicki was so powerful.
Based on 1 comment from 1 poster across 1 thread · Aug 24, 2025 · via CFB
“That is a gutsy win for KU. Absolutely had to have it after blowing it last week, and got it done. To fall behind 14-0 on the road and still pull out a conference win, that’s freaking big time. I love Jalon Daniels. Bangally Kamara is also, pretty clearly, the most important…”— r/CFB
“They definitely should. North Dakota dropped like 5 picks that game including one that landed in a K-State player's hands for a touchdown.”— r/CFB
“I think you mean quarter to quarter. We weren’t winning this game regardless, but spotting Tech 15 points before we remembered there was a game in progress was probably a mistake.”— r/CFB
“And it would have tied the game! Not like they were down 24-7 chasing or anything it was 10--7. Just the psyche of not chasing is a positive thing.”— r/CFB
“We don't win when ranked. Wait until the last week and shoot the hawks up overnight”— r/CFB
Five Lenses
What people are saying right now
Fanbase Health Index · Kansas · high confidence
“Lance trusts our defense way more than he should”
FBS rankings · 2025 season · all stats vs 136 FBS programs
| Player | # | G | Cmp/Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | TD | INT | Rate | QBR | Adj ANY/A | Sack% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vertical Passer · +0.38 EPA/play | 6 | 12 | 198 / 319 | 62.1 | 2504 #61 FBS | 7.8 | 22 #35 FBS | 7 | 146.4 | 65.7 | 7.5 | 4.2 | |
Yards by week → Vertical PasserElite arm talent, pushing downfield. Completion rate is the variable. Impact starter — above-average production for the conference. 9 of 183 QBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / attempt8.5 76th percentile · FBS QBs, min. 80 attempts Rush yards / carry3.6 75th percentile · FBS QBs, min. 80 attempts Trait fingerprint Plays like View Jalon Daniels's full player page | |||||||||||||
| +1.00 EPA/play | 15 | 7 | 10 / 22 | 45.5 | 108 | 4.9 | 1 | 1 | 92.6 | 30.4 | — | — | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||||
| Player | # | G | Car | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | 3rd Dn Use | Pass Dn Use | Stuff% | 10+% | Tgt Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Workhorse · +0.14 EPA/play | 9 | 10 | 124 | 587 | 4.7 | 5 | 22 | 12.7 | 11.8 | 19.2 | 10.4 | — | |
Yards by week → WorkhorseBuilt to take 20+ carries per game. Volume is the value. Starter — over 60% of the snaps, holding the job. 52 of 349 RBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Weight220 lb 82th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Receiving share4.6% bottom 14th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Trait fingerprint Plays like View Daniel Hishaw Jr.'s full player page | |||||||||||||
| Balanced Back · +0.25 EPA/play | 4 | 11 | 97 | 565 | 5.8 | 7 | 62 | 8.7 | 8.6 | 16.0 | 16.0 | — | |
Yards by week → Balanced BackPlays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 186 of 349 RBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / carry6.2 71th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Yards / reception14.6 98th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Trait fingerprint Plays like View Leshon Williams's full player page | |||||||||||||
| +0.17 EPA/play | — | 5 | 21 | 98 | 4.7 | 1 | 15 | 3.2 | 2.5 | — | — | — | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||||
| Player | # | G | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | 3rd Dn Use | Pass Dn Use | Tgt Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deep Threat · +0.58 EPA/play | 2 | 12 | 45 | 766 | 17.0 | 5 | 93 | 10.9 | 13 | 23.8% (74/311) | |
Yards by week → Deep Threat· Return threatStretches the field vertically. Every snap is a potential big play. a house-call threat every time he fields it 100 of 558 WRs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception17.9 89th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Reception volume45 71th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like our readBreakout: his CFB Index score climbed from the 0th percentile to the 83rd among FBS WRs | |||||||||||
| Complete TE · +0.92 EPA/play | 88 | 11 | 36 | 450 | 12.5 | 5 | 46 | 6.6 | 3.1 | 13.2% (41/311) | |
Yards by week → Complete TENo single go-to route — the receiving numbers show up inline and split out alike. 177 of 223 TEs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception11.9 58th percentile · FBS TEs, min. 8 receptions EPA / play (adj)0.9 88th percentile · FBS TEs, min. 8 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Boden Groen's full player page | |||||||||||
| Slot Technician · +0.57 EPA/play | 7 | 12 | 45 | 449 | 10.0 | 3 | 38 | 8.8 | 13.5 | 19.6% (61/311) | |
Yards by week → Slot TechnicianRuns precise routes in tight quarters. Volume player who keeps chains moving. 97 of 558 WRs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt View Cam Pickett's full player pageReception volume45 71th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions | |||||||||||
| Possession Receiver · +0.66 EPA/play | 10 | 9 | 16 | 258 | 16.1 | 2 | 50 | 5.2 | 7.0 | 10.6% (33/311) | |
Yards by week → Possession ReceiverReliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive. The most common profile in its group this season — 332 of 558 classified this way. Played in 9 of 21 games this season · senior View Levi Wentz's full player page | |||||||||||
| Deep Threat · +0.29 EPA/play | 3 | 11 | 17 | 157 | 9.2 | 1 | 18 | 6.6 | 6.9 | 9.6% (30/311) | |
Yards by week → Deep ThreatStretches the field vertically. Every snap is a potential big play. 100 of 558 WRs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception18.2 90th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Reception volume17 bottom 17th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Keaton Kubecka's full player page | |||||||||||
| -0.04 EPA/play | 11 | 8 | 10 | 145 | 14.5 | 1 | 31 | 3.3 | 6.2 | 5.5% (17/311) | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||
| Red-Zone Weapon · +1.07 EPA/play | 18 | 4 | 10 | 97 | 9.7 | 3 | 24 | 2.3 | 10 | — | |
Yards by week → Red-Zone WeaponThe first read called near the goal line — size and catch radius do the rest. 12 of 223 TEs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TD rate30.0% 100th percentile · FBS TEs, min. 8 receptions EPA / play (adj)1.1 94th percentile · FBS TEs, min. 8 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View DeShawn Hanika's full player page | |||||||||||
| +0.18 EPA/play | 44 | 4 | 5 | 55 | 11 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 5.3 | — | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||
| Player | # | G | Tot | Solo | TFL | Sack | Hur |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Two-Gap Base | 94 | 12 | 43 | 19 | 5 | 2 | 4 |
Two-Gap BaseStout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number. Starter — over 60% of the snaps, holding the job. The most common profile in its group this season — 388 of 809 classified this way. Played in 12 of 21 games this season · sophomore · 3-star, 2023 class our readAscending: his CFB Index score now sits at the 96th percentile among FBS IDLs, up from the 72nd | |||||||
| Versatile End | 33 | 12 | 31 | 23 | 6.5 | 4.5 | 1 |
Versatile EndNo single standout number, but nothing missing either — competent across the board. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 139 of 200 EDGEs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate21.0% 55th percentile · FBS EDGE, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Leroy Harris III's full player page | |||||||
| Versatile End | 5 | 11 | 29 | 14 | 4 | 1 | 4 |
Versatile EndNo single standout number, but nothing missing either — competent across the board. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. The most common profile in its group this season — 139 of 200 classified this way. Played in 11 of 21 games this season · senior · 3-star, 2022 class our readFading: his CFB Index score climbed from the 88th percentile to the 44th among FBS EDGEs | |||||||
| Versatile End | 15 | 11 | 27 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
Versatile EndNo single standout number, but nothing missing either — competent across the board. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. The most common profile in its group this season — 139 of 200 classified this way. Played in 11 of 21 games this season · senior our readBounce-Back: his CFB Index score shows a real arc: 36th percentile among FBS EDGEs, fell to 13th, now back up to 44th | |||||||
| Two-Gap Base | 92 | 11 | 26 | 13 | 3.5 | 2.5 | 2 |
Two-Gap BaseStout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. The most common profile in its group this season — 388 of 809 classified this way. Played in 11 of 21 games this season · senior · 3-star, 2021 class our readSustained Ascent: his CFB Index score shows two real climbs in a row — 10th to 40th to 88th percentile among FBS IDLs | |||||||
| Versatile End | 91 | 11 | 21 | 10 | 3.5 | 0 | 2 |
Versatile EndNo single standout number, but nothing missing either — competent across the board. The most common profile in its group this season — 139 of 200 classified this way. Played in 11 of 21 games this season · junior View Alex Bray's full player page | |||||||
| Nose Anchor | 97 | 9 | 19 | 12 | 6.5 | 1 | 0 |
Nose AnchorThe heaviest frame on the interior. Sack production is intentionally not the point of this profile. 152 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Weight325 lb 93th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Kenean Caldwell's full player page | |||||||
| 3-Tech Penetrator | 52 | 10 | 16 | 5 | 4.5 | 2.5 | 1 |
3-Tech PenetratorDisruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield. 269 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate28.1% 92th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like View D.J. Withers's full player page | |||||||
| Versatile End | 9 | 8 | 15 | 8 | 5 | 1.5 | 0 |
Versatile EndNo single standout number, but nothing missing either — competent across the board. 139 of 200 EDGEs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate33.3% 90th percentile · FBS EDGE, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Dakyus Brinkley's full player page | |||||||
| Two-Gap Base | 56 | 9 | 15 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Two-Gap BaseStout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number. The most common profile in its group this season — 388 of 809 classified this way. Played in 9 of 21 games this season · sophomore · 3-star, 2023 class View Marcus Calvin's full player page | |||||||
| Player | # | G | Tot | Solo | Ast | TFL | Sack | PD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coverage 'Backer | 4 | 12 | 86 | 51 | 35 | 7 | 1.5 | 5 | 1 |
Coverage 'BackerCarries tight ends and patrols the middle of the field in coverage. Starter — over 60% of the snaps, holding the job. 99 of 660 LBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate5.8% 87th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Tackle volume86 90th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Trait fingerprint Plays like our readSustained Ascent: his CFB Index score shows two real climbs in a row — 25th to 70th to 89th percentile among FBS LBs | |||||||||
| Thumper | 1 | 11 | 54 | 35 | 19 | 8.5 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
ThumperDownhill striker who fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 97 of 660 LBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate15.7% 82th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles PD rate7.4% 96th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Trait fingerprint Plays like View Bangally Kamara's full player page | |||||||||
| 8 | 9 | 13 | 5 | 8 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | |
| 10 | 4 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 16 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | |
| 41 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Player | # | G | Tot | PD | INT | TFL | Sack |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Box Safety | 2 | 12 | 72 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Box SafetyLives near the line of scrimmage as a de facto extra linebacker. Impact starter — above-average production for the conference. 166 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Tackle volume72 92th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like our readAscending: his CFB Index score now sits at the 83rd percentile among FBS Ss, up from the 36th | |||||||
| Hybrid Nickel | — | 11 | 46 | 2 | 0 | 3.5 | 0 |
Hybrid NickelMoves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 419 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate4.3% bottom 31th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like View Austin Alexander's full player page | |||||||
| Hybrid Nickel | 26 | 10 | 44 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
Hybrid NickelMoves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. The most common profile in its group this season — 419 of 801 classified this way. Played in 10 of 21 games this season · sophomore · 3-star, 2024 class our readBreakout: his CFB Index score went from the 2nd percentile among FBS Ss to the 63rd | |||||||
| Hybrid Nickel | 27 | 12 | 41 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Hybrid NickelMoves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. The most common profile in its group this season — 419 of 801 classified this way. Played in 12 of 21 games this season · sophomore · 3-star, 2023 class View Taylor Davis's full player page | |||||||
| Centerfielder | 11 | 10 | 26 | 4 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
CenterfielderSingle-high range who erases the deep middle of the field. 133 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate15.4% 84th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like View Devin Dye's full player page | |||||||
| Hybrid Nickel | 7 | 9 | 24 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Hybrid NickelMoves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB. The most common profile in its group this season — 419 of 801 classified this way. Played in 9 of 21 games this season · senior our readFading: his CFB Index score now sits at the 9th percentile among FBS Ss, up from the 61st | |||||||
| Hybrid Nickel | 22 | 9 | 23 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Hybrid NickelMoves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB. The most common profile in its group this season — 419 of 801 classified this way. Played in 9 of 21 games this season · junior View Syeed Gibbs's full player page | |||||||
| Hybrid Nickel | 23 | 6 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Hybrid NickelMoves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB. The most common profile in its group this season — 419 of 801 classified this way. Played in 6 of 21 games this season · junior · 3-star, 2022 class View Mason Ellis's full player page | |||||||
| 14 | 6 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| 6 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | |
| Player | # | G | FG M/A | FG% | XP M/A | Pts | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Leg | 99 | 12 | 14/17 | 82.4 | 40/40 | 82 | 55 |
| Player | # | G | No | Yds | Avg | Long | In20 | TB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cannon | 35 | 10 | 39 | 1767 | 45.3 | 61 | 12 | 1 |
Net average is unavailable — CFBD's punting feed carries gross yards only, with no return-yardage or touchback deduction.
| Player | # | G | No | Yds | Avg | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deep Threat · +0.58 EPA/play | 2 | 12 | 18 | 455 | 25.3 | 1 | 94 |
| Player | # | G | No | Yds | Avg | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 85 | 9 | 17 | 116 | 6.8 | 0 | 30 | |
| Deep Threat · +0.29 EPA/play | 3 | 11 | 3 | 18 | 6 | 0 | 18 |
2025 stat leaders
finalRoster
2025+21 more
| Wk | Date | Us | Opp | Line | Opponent | Result | Record | Conf |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aug 23 | #44 | #82 | -14 | Fresno State | W 31–7 116 | 1-0 | 0-0 |
| 1 | Aug 29 | #44 | #249 | -46.5 | Wagner | W 46–7 126 | 2-0 | 0-0 |
| 2 | Sep 6 | #50 | #31 | +6.5 | @Missouri | L 31–42 135 | 2-1 | 0-0 |
| 4 | Sep 20 | #44 | #83 | -13.5 | West Virginia | W 41–10 137 | 3-1 | 1-0 |
| 5 | Sep 27 | #44 | #51 | -4.5 | Cincinnati | L 34–37 135 | 3-2 | 1-1 |
| 6 | Oct 4 | #48 | #72 | -3.5 | @UCF | W 27–20 132 | 4-2 | 2-1 |
| 7 | Oct 11 | #45 | #7 | +13.5 | @Texas Tech | L 17–42 145 | 4-3 | 2-2 |
| 9 | Oct 25 | #45 | #37 | -3.5 | Kansas State | L 17–42 130 | 4-4 | 2-3 |
| 10 | Nov 1 | #59 | #188 | -25 | Oklahoma State | W 38–21 120 | 5-4 | 3-3 |
| 11 | Nov 8 | #64 | #53 | +6.5 | @Arizona | L 20–24 130 | 5-5 | 3-4 |
| 13 | Nov 22 | #64 | #50 | +3.5 | @Iowa State | L 14–38 123 | 5-6 | 3-5 |
| 14 | Nov 28 | #74 | #15 | +10 | Utah | L 21–31 134 | 5-7 | 3-6 |
| Date | Opp | Result | Yds | TO | TOP | EPA/play | Success% | Explosive% | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 28 | Utah | L 21–31 | 477 | 3 | 36:57 | +0.056 | 47.5% | 106.4% | |
| Nov 22 | @Iowa State | L 14–38 | 323 | 1 | 20:52 | +0.178 | 48.1% | 112.4% | |
| Nov 8 | @Arizona | L 20–24 | 369 | 0 | 35:30 | +0.144 | 45.8% | 110.7% | One-score loss |
| Nov 1 | Oklahoma State | W 38–21 | 342 | 0 | 30:38 | +0.366 | 51.7% | 126.4% | |
| Oct 25 | Kansas State | L 17–42 | 247 | 4 | 32:40 | -0.029 | 41.8% | 96.4% | Season-low EPA/play |
| Oct 11 | @Texas Tech | L 17–42 | 319 | 1 | 36:12 | +0.056 | 37.3% | 120.5% | |
| Oct 4 | @UCF | W 27–20 | 358 | 0 | 30:01 | +0.274 | 46.6% | 108.6% | One-score win |
| Sep 27 | Cincinnati | L 34–37 | 597 | 1 | 25:24 | +0.611 | 55.6% | 149.8% | Season-high EPA/play |
| Sep 20 | West Virginia | W 41–10 | 405 | 0 | 33:50 | +0.238 | 44.8% | 127.8% | Blowout win |
| Sep 6 | @Missouri | L 31–42 | 226 | 1 | 19:33 | +0.106 | 36.7% | 149.0% | |
| Aug 29 | Wagner | W 46–7 | 631 | 2 | 33:15 | +0.369 | 66.2% | 83.4% | Best success rate |
| Aug 23 | Fresno State | W 31–7 | 383 | 0 | 33:08 | +0.341 | 51.6% | 110.5% | |
| Season average (12 games) | 390 | 1.1 | +0.226 | 47.8% | 116.8% | ||||
Kansas fields a strong methodical, ball-control offense behind a porous, gives up the big play defense.
Opponent-adjusted percentiles vs all FBS. Bar = where this team ranks — right is better.
Team identity · competitive snaps only
85th percentile quality, 28th percentile boom-dependency. Garbage time excluded from both axes — the same correction that changes the Q4 story below.
| Team | Quality percentile | Boom-share percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Air Force | 86th | 11th |
| Akron | 12th | 89th |
| Alabama | 58th | 17th |
| App State | 35th | 47th |
| Arizona | 64th | 37th |
| Arizona State | 41st | 62nd |
| Arkansas | 90th | 12th |
| Arkansas State | 17th | 66th |
| Army | 57th | 43rd |
| Auburn | 47th | 53rd |
| BYU | 78th | 19th |
| Baylor | 69th | 25th |
| Boise State | 66th | 20th |
| Boston College | 37th | 54th |
| Bowling Green | 2nd | 98th |
| Buffalo | 11th | 88th |
| California | 28th | 48th |
| Central Michigan | 52nd | 64th |
| Cincinnati | 89th | 16th |
| Clemson | 51st | 48th |
| Coastal Carolina | 17th | 83rd |
| Colorado | 18th | 84th |
| Colorado State | 16th | 83rd |
| Delaware | 38th | 58th |
| Duke | 80th | 14th |
| East Carolina | 63rd | 36th |
| Eastern Michigan | 49th | 42nd |
| Florida | 30th | 67th |
| Florida Atlantic | 62nd | 59th |
| Florida International | 42nd | 50th |
| Florida State | 83rd | 32nd |
| Fresno State | 26th | 73rd |
| Georgia | 81st | 3rd |
| Georgia Southern | 73rd | 21st |
| Georgia State | 36th | 70th |
| Georgia Tech | 84th | 5th |
| Hawai'i | 64th | 41st |
| Houston | 27th | 65th |
| Illinois | 75th | 26th |
| Indiana | 95th | 1st |
| Iowa | 44th | 40th |
| Iowa State | 68th | 22nd |
| Jacksonville State | 54th | 38th |
| James Madison | 65th | 44th |
| Kansas | 85th | 28th |
| Kansas State | 71st | 49th |
| Kennesaw State | 56th | 30th |
| Kent State | 21st | 86th |
| Kentucky | 15th | 85th |
| LSU | 14th | 81st |
| Liberty | 43rd | 56th |
| Louisiana | 19th | 73rd |
| Louisiana Tech | 39th | 61st |
| Louisville | 48th | 64th |
| Marshall | 55th | 39th |
| Maryland | 30th | 74th |
| Memphis | 80th | 24th |
| Miami | 76th | 5th |
| Miami (OH) | 34th | 67th |
| Michigan | 67th | 33rd |
| Michigan State | 27th | 75th |
| Middle Tennessee | 39th | 52nd |
| Minnesota | 29th | 77th |
| Mississippi State | 22nd | 77th |
| Missouri | 61st | 30th |
| Missouri State | 55th | 46th |
| NC State | 86th | 23rd |
| Navy | 94th | 17th |
| Nebraska | 48th | 57th |
| Nevada | 3rd | 97th |
| New Mexico | 58th | 60th |
| New Mexico State | 9th | 87th |
| North Carolina | 13th | 89th |
| North Texas | 98th | 7th |
| Northern Illinois | 8th | 92nd |
| Northwestern | 52nd | 36th |
| Notre Dame | 99th | 20th |
| Ohio | 67th | 18th |
| Ohio State | 93rd | 4th |
| Oklahoma | 20th | 80th |
| Oklahoma State | 5th | 95th |
| Old Dominion | 83rd | 45th |
| Ole Miss | 89th | 2nd |
| Oregon | 91st | 10th |
| Oregon State | 2nd | 98th |
| Penn State | 73rd | 33rd |
| Pittsburgh | 60th | 39th |
| Purdue | 25th | 78th |
| Rice | 6th | 94th |
| Rutgers | 70th | 27th |
| SMU | 74th | 42nd |
| Sam Houston | 4th | 96th |
| San Diego State | 24th | 76th |
| San José State | 45th | 69th |
| South Alabama | 36th | 58th |
| South Carolina | 23rd | 86th |
| South Florida | 87th | 23rd |
| Southern Miss | 40th | 55th |
| Stanford | 10th | 90th |
| Syracuse | 5th | 95th |
| TCU | 72nd | 35th |
| Temple | 70th | 34th |
| Tennessee | 96th | 11th |
| Texas | 45th | 55th |
| Texas A&M | 82nd | 14th |
| Texas State | 92nd | 8th |
| Texas Tech | 77th | 31st |
| Toledo | 50th | 61st |
| Troy | 14th | 80th |
| Tulane | 79th | 15th |
| Tulsa | 20th | 70th |
| UAB | 61st | 45th |
| UCF | 33rd | 82nd |
| UCLA | 23rd | 79th |
| UConn | 95th | 13th |
| UL Monroe | 11th | 92nd |
| UNLV | 88th | 9th |
| USC | 98th | 2nd |
| UTEP | 1st | 99th |
| UTSA | 77th | 51st |
| Utah | 97th | 6th |
| Utah State | 46th | 63rd |
| Vanderbilt | 100th | 0th |
| Virginia | 59th | 27th |
| Virginia Tech | 32nd | 71st |
| Wake Forest | 42nd | 72nd |
| Washington | 92nd | 8th |
| Washington State | 33rd | 52nd |
| West Virginia | 7th | 93rd |
| Western Kentucky | 53rd | 29th |
| Western Michigan | 31st | 68th |
| Wisconsin | 0th | 100th |
| Wyoming | 8th | 91st |
Fourth-quarter reliability, corrected
Raw Q4 EPA/play ranks 10th percentile in FBS. Strip out snaps taken with a blowout margin and it climbs to the 44th — the correction is the finding, not a footnote.
Standard downs vs. passing downs
99th percentile success on standard downs, 82nd on passing downs — a 17-point gap between the two.
| Team | Standard-downs percentile | Passing-downs percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Air Force | 82nd | 69th |
| Akron | 20th | 36th |
| Alabama | 47th | 76th |
| App State | 41st | 80th |
| Arizona | 54th | 54th |
| Arizona State | 40th | 37th |
| Arkansas | 90th | 97th |
| Arkansas State | 51st | 40th |
| Army | 37th | 44th |
| Auburn | 73rd | 24th |
| Austin Peay | 56th | 13th |
| BYU | 91st | 46th |
| Ball State | 5th | 3rd |
| Baylor | 70th | 77th |
| Boise State | 42nd | 63rd |
| Boston College | 56th | 54th |
| Bowling Green | 10th | 17th |
| Bryant | 7th | 2nd |
| Buffalo | 29th | 20th |
| California | 25th | 66th |
| Central Michigan | 57th | 11th |
| Charlotte | 7th | 7th |
| Cincinnati | 89th | 65th |
| Clemson | 49th | 34th |
| Coastal Carolina | 16th | 22nd |
| Colorado | 8th | 48th |
| Colorado State | 29th | 35th |
| Delaware | 66th | 31st |
| Duke | 82nd | 63rd |
| East Carolina | 63rd | 91st |
| Eastern Michigan | 46th | 67th |
| Florida | 52nd | 45th |
| Florida Atlantic | 44th | 61st |
| Florida International | 50th | 26th |
| Florida State | 65th | 90th |
| Fresno State | 22nd | 71st |
| Georgia | 95th | 69th |
| Georgia Southern | 64th | 84th |
| Georgia State | 22nd | 75th |
| Georgia Tech | 92nd | 89th |
| Hawai'i | 33rd | 87th |
| Houston | 61st | 29th |
| Idaho | 30th | 78th |
| Idaho State | 93rd | 14th |
| Illinois | 79th | 95th |
| Indiana | 97th | 98th |
| Iowa | 74th | 19th |
| Iowa State | 80th | 58th |
| Jacksonville State | 59th | 56th |
| James Madison | 77th | 52nd |
| Kansas | 99th | 82nd |
| Kansas State | 37th | 59th |
| Kennesaw State | 44th | 67th |
| Kent State | 15th | 5th |
| Kentucky | 62nd | 29th |
| LSU | 18th | 52nd |
| Lafayette | 0th | 12th |
| Liberty | 65th | 53rd |
| Lindenwood | 4th | 1st |
| Long Island University | 24th | 78th |
| Louisiana | 24th | 23rd |
| Louisiana Tech | 41st | 24th |
| Louisville | 84th | 32nd |
| Maine | 3rd | 18th |
| Marshall | 71st | 62nd |
| Maryland | 11th | 86th |
| Massachusetts | 5th | 9th |
| Memphis | 75th | 68th |
| Merrimack | 1st | 83rd |
| Miami | 80th | 64th |
| Miami (OH) | 33rd | 39th |
| Michigan | 73rd | 74th |
| Michigan State | 48th | 39th |
| Middle Tennessee | 69th | 47th |
| Minnesota | 35th | 33rd |
| Mississippi State | 52nd | 35th |
| Missouri | 76th | 50th |
| Missouri State | 32nd | 50th |
| Murray State | 1st | 6th |
| NC State | 58th | 71st |
| Navy | 95th | 72nd |
| Nebraska | 78th | 51st |
| Nevada | 17th | 16th |
| New Mexico | 38th | 60th |
| New Mexico State | 16th | 33rd |
| North Carolina | 14th | 30th |
| North Texas | 100th | 97th |
| Northern Illinois | 9th | 5th |
| Northwestern | 48th | 88th |
| Notre Dame | 88th | 99th |
| Ohio | 69th | 76th |
| Ohio State | 99th | 99th |
| Oklahoma | 39th | 41st |
| Oklahoma State | 14th | 7th |
| Old Dominion | 72nd | 79th |
| Ole Miss | 83rd | 95th |
| Oregon | 93rd | 55th |
| Oregon State | 54th | 25th |
| Penn State | 76th | 73rd |
| Pittsburgh | 35th | 56th |
| Purdue | 46th | 88th |
| Rice | 20th | 0th |
| Rutgers | 71st | 84th |
| SMU | 50th | 57th |
| Sam Houston | 26th | 4th |
| San Diego State | 84th | 1st |
| San José State | 68th | 70th |
| South Alabama | 53rd | 28th |
| South Carolina | 31st | 8th |
| South Carolina State | 10th | 3rd |
| South Florida | 86th | 46th |
| Southern Miss | 27th | 38th |
| Stanford | 12th | 12th |
| Syracuse | 19th | 10th |
| TCU | 63rd | 82nd |
| Temple | 85th | 22nd |
| Tennessee | 97th | 81st |
| Texas | 27th | 61st |
| Texas A&M | 88th | 59th |
| Texas State | 60th | 93rd |
| Texas Tech | 45th | 65th |
| Toledo | 67th | 42nd |
| Troy | 18th | 27th |
| Tulane | 81st | 86th |
| Tulsa | 43rd | 43rd |
| UAB | 34th | 94th |
| UCF | 39th | 20th |
| UCLA | 28th | 48th |
| UConn | 96th | 37th |
| UL Monroe | 13th | 14th |
| UNLV | 78th | 85th |
| USC | 94th | 90th |
| UT Martin | 2nd | 41st |
| UTEP | 3rd | 10th |
| UTSA | 67th | 92nd |
| Utah | 87th | 96th |
| Utah State | 31st | 49th |
| Vanderbilt | 90th | 100th |
| Virginia | 36th | 73rd |
| Virginia Tech | 59th | 21st |
| Wake Forest | 21st | 31st |
| Washington | 98th | 93rd |
| Washington State | 61st | 44th |
| West Virginia | 12th | 18th |
| Western Kentucky | 55th | 80th |
| Western Michigan | 86th | 16th |
| Wisconsin | 6th | 27th |
| Wyoming | 23rd | 15th |
Halftime identity
1st-half offense ranks 89th percentile in FBS; 2nd-half, 92nd — competitive snaps only, garbage time excluded from both halves.
Schedule mirage
Raw EPA/play through week 21 is 0.23; 74th percentile once opponent strength is stripped out, it's 0.05. The widest gap came in week 1: 0.36 raw vs. 0.05 adjusted.
Kansas reads strongest in success rate (top 10%) and rushing epa (top 22%); the crux lives in explosive plays allowed, where Kansas sits at the 4th percentile.
offense · strengths lead
defense · higher bar = harder to play against
hidden math · special situations
Most Similar Programs · Kansas
Static-attribute similarity across tier, archetype, conference, and voice. Not a prediction — a calibration.
Home-Field Advantage · Kansas · 2018-present
41% home win rate vs 22% on the road. margin runs +8.0 better at home. Memorial Stadium seats 47,000, averaging 91% full (42,905 attendance, 19 games reported).
Positional competition · RB room
Daniel Hishaw Jr. and Leshon Williams split the carries (128/224 vs 96/224) -- but the job isn't split the same way. Leshon Williams produces in bigger chunks.
Positional competition · WR/TE room
Emmanuel Henderson Jr. (WR) and Boden Groen (TE) split the targets (70/109 vs 39/109) -- but the job isn't split the same way. Boden Groen produces mainly when the game's already decided.
What changed
The biggest shift: red-zone pass rate moved up 6 points. The rest held closer to steady.
The biggest shift: red-zone pass rate moved up 6 points. The rest held closer to steady.
Defensive identity · pass zones
On short passes, Kansas’s defense allows a completion rate below the FBS mean (65.4% vs 65.9% league-wide, shrunk toward the mean for its 102-play sample) — mid-pack, 58 of 133 qualifying defenses.
We won’t show a deep-ball leaderboard here: at the defense level, most teams face well under 30 rich-feed deep targets all season — too thin to tell a real tendency from noise, so we won’t guess.
Historical echo
Programs whose stature climbed in the same shape. The grey line is their run; the color is what came next for them.
An analogy on the shape of a program’s Zeitgeist stature arc — not a prediction. Interim calibration, medium confidence; matched among current FBS programs at a comparable level.
63°F average kickoff temp; 6% of games had measurable precipitation; 9 mph average wind.
Based on 69 home games with weather data.
12 seasons inside the CFP era, no bids yet — the era the program is still trying to break into.
Kansas's 2014–2025 record is 39-104. The era is still being written; the CFP line is the one the program is arguing for.
All-Time Record
since 1892 · 130 seasons · .433 win rate
James Naismith invented basketball at a school whose football team went 5-7 last year. Lance Leipold has spent four seasons trying to make the gridiron matter in Lawrence anyway — and for a few Jalon Daniels seasons, it did.
Kansas is one of college basketball's holy sites. Naismith himself coached in Lawrence. The banners in Allen Fieldhouse are the institution's self-image — and for most of a century, the football program lived as the Tuesday obligation the other sport tolerated. Then came the 2007 season, a 12-1 record, an Orange Bowl win, and a brief, luminous proof that Lawrence could love football too. Then the fall. Then over a decade of double-digit losses before Lance Leipold arrived and started the process again.
The Leipold revival ran through Jalon Daniels — six seasons, the program's second all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns, Heisman buzz in 2023 that made Kansas football a real sentence in the national conversation for the first time since Mark Mangino. The 2025 season was Daniels's farewell: a 5-7 finish, a second straight bowl miss, a final game loss to Utah where he threw three interceptions and left with the program still searching for the new normal after him. Daniels goes down as the face of the revival. The revival's durability is now Leipold's open question.
The 2026 season is football's most honest referendum in Lawrence in a generation: does the Daniels era represent a new floor for Kansas football, or was it the peak of a borrowed moment in a basketball town? Gale Sayers came from here. The Orange Bowl trophy exists. The argument for football mattering in Lawrence has real evidence. Leipold has to find it again without the player who made it legible for three years.
Spread-it-out, score-in-bunches football under Leipold — an offense-first identity designed to make a basketball school's football genuinely fun to watch on a fall Saturday. Quick tempo, creative play-design, QB mobility as a core feature. The defense has lagged the offense in the rebuild; the 2026 question is whether a new QB can preserve the scoring identity that made Kansas watchable again. The fan character is warm, self-deprecating, and Rock Chalk first — people who love their school and learned, gratefully, to love football too.
Kansas 2016–2025. Climbing +1.8 rungs across the last 10 seasons. Slope +0.27 rungs / year — moving up the prestige scale.
12 seasons on file
down middle peak CFP year
Season Standing · 2025 · 5-7
Kansas: Below .500 in FBS play. The rebuild bar.
Big 12 Standing · 2025
Kansas is 12th of 16 in the Big 12 at 3-6. The path to the title is steep — the focus is on bowl access and rivalry wins.
| # | Program | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas Tech | 9-1 |
| 2 | BYU | 8-2 |
| 3 | Utah | 7-2 |
| 4 | Arizona | 7-3 |
| 5 | Arizona State | 6-3 |
| 6 | Houston | 6-3 |
| 7 | Cincinnati | 5-4 |
| 8 | Iowa State | 5-4 |
| 9 | TCU | 5-4 |
| 10 | Kansas State | 5-5 |
| 11 | Baylor | 3-6 |
| 12 | Kansas | 3-6 |
| 13 | UCF | 2-7 |
| 14 | West Virginia | 2-7 |
| 15 | Colorado | 1-8 |
| 16 | Oklahoma State | 0-9 |
Coaching Era · Kansas
Lance Leipold has held the program for 6 seasons — the era is established.
Three gameday rituals — the ones outsiders never quite catch.
since 1886
The 'Rock Chalk, Jayhawk, KU' chant — dating to 1886 — is one of CFB's oldest fan traditions. Originally a science club chant referring to limestone (chalk-rock) deposits in Kansas geology. Adopted by every Jayhawk team across every sport. The slow-tempo chant + crowd response is universal Kansas identity.
since 2007
Mark Mangino's 2007 12-1 + Orange Bowl championship — the program's only major bowl win in modern history. Todd Reesing at QB + Aqib Talib at CB drove the season. The 2007 run is the cultural anchor every Jayhawk fan cites when arguing the program's football ceiling existed once.
since 2021
Lance Leipold's 2021 hire — coming from D-II Wisconsin-Whitewater's six FCS national titles + Buffalo's MAC championship — was an unconventional P5 hire. The rebuild from 1-11 (2020) to 6-7 (2022) + bowl eligibility + 9-4 (2023) + bowl win reset Kansas football identity. Jalon Daniels' Heisman buzz drives the modern narrative.
Program memory
Most weeks vanish. These didn’t.
1964
The Kansas Comet's All-America years define the program's greatest individual talent
Kansas beats Virginia Tech to finish 12-1 and No. 7 — the peak of modern KU football
2025
A six-season starter ends his career in a loss to Utah as KU misses a bowl at 5-7
Heartbreak
Moment of the Year · Kansas · 2025
Week 7 of 2025. The single game that defined the season's arc.
Bowl / Postseason Ledger
Most recent: 2023 — win 36-49 (away). Last 5 postseason: 1-1.
NFL Draft Pipeline
2022–20267 picks last 5 cycles. Pipeline emerging.
Unit lineage
FBS-relative efficiency percentile per season (2014–2025), same population as the Coordinator Mirror board. Dashed vertical lines mark a coordinator change.
All-time top community posts · ranked by upvotes
Kansas · Next-Season Outcome Band
Recruiting Footprint · 2026
Fanbase Health Index · Kansas · high confidence
2025 stat leaders
How They Play · 2025
Most Similar Programs · Kansas
Season Standing · 2025 · 5-7
Coaching Era · Kansas
Moment of the Year · Kansas · 2025
Bowl / Postseason Ledger
NFL Draft Pipeline