Kansas heads into next week’s Sunflower Showdown carrying the kind of betting line that tells you exactly how the market sees this matchup in Manhattan.
FanDuel opened Kansas State as a 7.5-point favorite, with Kansas sitting at +7.5. The moneyline has the Wildcats at -265 and the Jayhawks at +215, while the total is set at 54.5 points. At some books, Kansas can be found at +8.5, with K-State listed at -7.5.
The number fits the recent history between these two programs. Kansas has dropped 17 straight games to Kansas State on the football field, and oddsmakers are not projecting that streak to end this time around.
That said, both teams arrive looking beat up by the moment. Kansas fell to 0-2 in Big 12 play after a 17-point loss to Utah, while K-State was routed at home by Houston after trailing 28-3 at one point. Neither side is exactly rolling into rivalry week with momentum.
There were still a few encouraging signs for KU in the loss to the Utes. Isaiah Marshall put together a career day at quarterback, but the defense gave up 41 points and the offense didn’t show real life until late. That slow start leaves the Jayhawks with plenty to clean up before they take on their in-state rival.
One of the biggest subplots will be Dylan Edwards going back to Manhattan. Kansas’ top running back spent two seasons with the Wildcats, and his time there ended after an injury-marred 2025 campaign and a rocky finish. Now at Kansas, he’ll return to a stadium where boos are almost certain to follow him.
The bigger picture for KU is hard to ignore. The Jayhawks already took a loss to Missouri earlier this year in another rivalry game, and another defeat here would only deepen the pressure on the program.
Lance Leipold and his staff badly need a win that reconnects with a fan base that has watched the same result over and over again. A sixth straight season without beating Kansas State would raise even louder questions about where things go from here.
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Kansas Faces One More Problem In Brutal Road Test At Utah
Kansas is already walking into one of its toughest road tests of the season at No. 12 Utah, and now the weather has joined the list of problems. Kickoff at Rice-Eccles Stadium was moved earlier because of expected severe weather from the remnants of Tropical Storm Rachel, with Salt Lake City under a wind advisory and the possibility of thunderstorms hanging over the game.
For a Jayhawks team that has already had to manage the usual difficulties of playing away from home, the conditions could make every phase feel more volatile. Special teams, in particular, looms as a key pressure point, and the kind of wind and weather expected in Utah can turn routine plays into game-changing moments. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Veterans Still Have To Earn Their Place In Bill Self's Rotation
Melvin Council Jr. and Tre White are back with the Kansas mens basketball team after receiving preliminary injunctions that allow them to pursue additional college eligibility, but their return has not changed the standard inside Bill Selfs program. For now, both veterans are working to make their case the old-fashioned way, using practice reps and scout-team work to show they can help in a rotation that has already been reshaped by significant roster turnover.
For Kansas, the value goes beyond simply adding two experienced names to the roster. Council and White bring knowledge that can help teammates settle in and give the Jayhawks a more useful practice environment, but neither is walking into a guaranteed role. In a group still sorting itself out, their immediate job is to prove they belong in the mix, and Selfs rotation remains very much up for grabs. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Lineup Puzzle Could Reshape A Key Starting Battle
Kansas has already added one layer of intrigue to its preseason rotation by bringing back Tre White, and now the coaching staff is weighing another move that could ripple through the lineup. Utah transfer Keanu Dawes has emerged as a possible small-ball center option, giving the Jayhawks a chance to mix and match more freely while searching for the best fit around White and the rest of the roster.
Dawes has said he is open to playing multiple positions, including center, and that flexibility is exactly what makes this battle worth watching. Christian Reeves and Paul Mbiya still loom as important pieces inside, but if Dawes ends up anchoring smaller lineups, the shape of Kansas frontcourt could look very different once the season begins. [Read more 🡒]