Kansas gets a chance to reset Saturday when Middle Tennessee comes to David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, and the Jayhawks badly need the kind of clean performance that has been missing in the first three weeks.
Kansas is 1-2 after a 51-6 rout of Long Island to open the season, followed by losses to Missouri and Arizona State. The latest setback came in London, where the Jayhawks fell 24-17 to Arizona State despite moving the ball well enough to create chances.
Middle Tennessee arrives at 2-2 after a season that has already had plenty of swing. The Blue Raiders started with a 38-14 win over Murray State, dropped a 28-26 decision to Marshall, beat Nevada 27-20 and then faced Jacksonville State.
For Kansas, the biggest issue is simple: protect the football. Turnovers have been a problem early, and this is a useful spot for quarterback Isaiah Marshall and the offense to settle in and put together a cleaner day.
Marshall has flashed in his first season as the Jayhawks’ starter, but Kansas needs more steady production from him and the rest of the offense. The Jayhawks will also be looking for Dylan Edwards and the receiving group to turn opportunities into explosive plays against a Middle Tennessee defense that has given up chances both on the ground and through the air.
There are encouraging signs on the other side of the ball. Kansas held Arizona State to 24 points last time out, and the Jayhawks will need a similar effort from the secondary while also trying to slow Middle Tennessee’s running game.
The matchup also brings Kansas back home for the first time since Sept. 11, and it comes during Family Weekend. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CT, with the game on ESPNU.
The line has shifted across sportsbooks as Friday has gone on. KU Sports listed Kansas as an 18.5-point favorite with the over/under at 49.5 points. BetMGM had the Jayhawks at -19.5 with a 51.5-point total, while FanDuel also listed Kansas at -19.5, with a 49.5-point total.
Kansas will be favored, but Middle Tennessee has already shown it can hang around. For the Jayhawks, the job Saturday is straightforward: cut down on mistakes, find some rhythm on offense and try to turn home-field energy into momentum before Big 12 play keeps rolling.
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Kansas Needs This Bounce-Back Before Big 12 Pressure Hits
After a bye week and consecutive losses, Kansas is headed into its final nonconference tune-up against Middle Tennessee State with a chance to steady itself before Big 12 play starts to define the season. The matchup has drawn plenty of attention from around the program because it offers a clean setting for the Jayhawks to sort through offensive adjustments, lean on their defensive strengths and try to get back on track in front of a home crowd.
There are also a few individual angles worth watching as the Jayhawks look for a reset. The quarterback rotation and offensive rhythm remain part of the conversation, and the defense has a chance to set the tone if Kansas can handle business the way it expects to against a team from a lower tier of competition. For a team that needs momentum more than style points, this is the kind of game that can either settle things down or leave more questions hanging when conference pressure arrives. [Read more 🡒]