Kansas is heading into the 2026 season with a chip on its shoulder after getting left off the Big 12’s preseason All-Big 12 Team entirely.
When the conference released its media-voted preseason honors on Monday, the Jayhawks were nowhere on the list. Kansas was one of four programs - along with Colorado, Iowa State and UCF - that did not land a single representative.
For Kansas, it’s the first time since 2022 that the program has been shut out of the conference’s preseason honors.
The omission fits the broader picture around Lance Leipold’s team. Kansas has undergone a major roster reset this offseason, bringing in more than 40 newcomers through transfers and freshmen as it tries to replace much of the group that went 5-7 last year and missed a bowl game for the second straight season.
Even with the turnover, the Jayhawks do have a few established pieces back in the fold. Linebacker Trey Lathan and defensive end Leroy Harris III both earned All-Big 12 Honorable Mention after the 2025 season, but neither was selected to the preseason team.
Kansas’ lack of recognition also lines up with other preseason projections that haven’t been especially kind. EA Sports College Football 27 ranked the Jayhawks lowest in the Big 12 overall, and several preseason polls have slotted them in the bottom half of the league.
Still, there are veterans on this roster who could help Kansas beat those expectations. Lathan remains the defensive centerpiece, while wide receiver Cam Pickett, offensive tackle Calvin Clements and defensive tackle Blake Herold are among the returning players expected to help lead the rebuilt group.
Those four, along with Harris, will represent Kansas at Big 12 Football Media Days in Frisco, Texas, where Leipold is set to speak to the media.
The preseason team won’t decide anything once the games start, but it does give Kansas another reason to circle the season and prove the voters wrong. If the Jayhawks are going to get back to bowl eligibility, they’ll have to do it with a roster that’s been doubted from the start.
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