Kansas enters 2026 with more questions than certainty, and the Big 12 championship odds reflect that reality. In the post-Jalon Daniels era, the Jayhawks are trying to figure out what they are while carrying over some important pieces and a strong group of skill-position players. Even so, the roster still has holes, and after back-to-back 5-7 seasons in Lawrence, the bar is straightforward: get back to a bowl game and show those last two years were the exception, not the rule.
A big part of the frustration over that stretch has centered on the coaching staff. The source material points to poor decision-making as a major reason for the losses, rather than a massive gap in talent on the field.
That’s part of why optimism around Kansas is mixed. Some believe the Jayhawks can rebound, but skepticism is easy to understand heading into the season.
That uncertainty shows up in Polymarket’s newly released Big 12 title odds. Texas Tech sits as the runaway favorite with a one-in-two chance to win the conference.
No other team is listed above 15%, and Kansas is tied with West Virginia for 11th at 3%. In other words, the market sees the Jayhawks as a long shot in the race for the league crown.
The schedule doesn’t exactly offer much breathing room either. Big 12 play starts in Week 3 with a trip to Wembley Stadium in London against Arizona State. Later on, Kansas has road tests at Utah and Kansas State, then finishes the regular season with BYU and Oklahoma State.
At this stage, no one around Kansas is expecting a Big 12 title. The more immediate task is simpler: field a competitive team and stop giving away games that should be there to win.
In Other News...
Kansas Eligibility Drama Just Got More Complicated For Two Jayhawks
A federal ruling this week has added another layer to the eligibility picture for college basketball players who have already used four seasons, and it could matter down the road for Kansas. U.S. District Judge Charlotte Sweeney granted a preliminary injunction that would allow Division I athletes from the high school class of 2022, if they exhausted their fourth season of eligibility this spring, to compete again during the 2026-27 academic year.
For the Jayhawks, the timing complicates two separate lawsuits involving former players Melvin Council Jr. and Jayden Dawson, both of whom are seeking extra eligibility. The NCAA is expected to appeal the ruling, so nothing is settled yet, but the decision adds another moving part to an already tangled set of legal fights that could shape who is available for Kansas and when. [Read more 🡒]
Bill Self Sends Kansas Fans A Clear Message On Darryn Peterson
Darryn Petersons first professional summer has given Kansas fans a useful reminder of what made him such a compelling player in Lawrence. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft by Utah spent summer league showing flashes of the talent that made him one of the most watched players in college basketball, even if the results came with the usual uneven stretches that tend to come with that setting.
Bill Selfs read on it was straightforward: Peterson did not blow anyone away, but he did enough to reinforce the idea that his ceiling is still very much intact. Self pointed to the promise Peterson showed after an all-Big 12 second-team season at Kansas, a run that came while he battled health issues in his final year. For Jayhawk followers, the bigger question now is how much more there is to unlock once he gets settled at the next level. [Read more 🡒]
Bill Self Faces A Bigger Kansas Roster Question Than Fans Realize
The NCAAs recent eligibility ruling has reopened the roster market for a lot of programs, and Kansas is already being linked to the frontcourt search. One name that has surfaced is former Michigan State forward Jaxon Kohler, a possible fit as Bill Self continues to evaluate how to add size and depth around the paint for next season.
CBS Sports also reported Kansas had interest in Auburn forward Keyshawn Hall, but a Kansas spokesperson confirmed no contact has been made with Hall. Hall has bounced around multiple schools and is drawing attention from several programs, so his name will keep circulating in transfer chatter, but for now the Jayhawks most meaningful roster questions appear to be just getting started. [Read more 🡒]