Kansas heads into Lance Leipold’s sixth season with a schedule that already looks manageable on paper, and the initial AP Top 25 gave the Jayhawks a little more breathing room. Only three of their opponents landed in the first poll: No.
25 Missouri, No. 21 Utah and No.
14 BYU.
That matters because Kansas is staring at a tricky setup even before the season starts. The Jayhawks have to go to Wembley Stadium to face Arizona State instead of getting the Sun Devils at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, and a bye week the next week means they’ll finish the regular season with nine straight games. A long run like that is no picnic, especially with most of those matchups coming against Big 12 teams.
Still, the schedule could get a little lighter if a few opponents rise into the rankings by the time Kansas sees them. Kansas State didn’t receive any votes, but Collin Klein’s team opens with five winnable games and only one ranked opponent in No.
23 Houston. If the Wildcats start 5-0, they could be knocking on the top-25 door before the Sunflower Showdown.
TCU also has the kind of profile that can keep a team in the national conversation. Since Sonny Dykes took over before the 2022 season, the Horned Frogs have been steady, and there’s a real chance they could be 6-1 when they meet Kansas, which would likely be enough to earn a ranking.
Oklahoma State is the last opponent on Kansas’ schedule, and it could be another name that looks very different by then. If Eric Morris carries over what he did at North Texas and Drew Mestemaker and Caleb Hawkins become one of the nation’s most explosive QB/RB pairings, the Cowboys could be in the mix for a ranked spot too.
As for Kansas’ currently ranked opponents, Missouri is only in week two, so it probably won’t move much unless Arkansas-Pine Bluff somehow turns into a disaster. Utah’s path looks fairly clear as well, with the Arkansas Razorbacks standing as the toughest test before the Jayhawks visit on October 10. BYU may be the most dangerous of the bunch by late season, with the Cougars likely trying to lock down a place in the College Football Playoff picture by the penultimate week of the regular season.
In Other News...
Bill Self Revealed What Brought Him Back To Kansas Sideline
Bill Selfs return to the Kansas sideline came after a stretch that forced him to think hard about life beyond coaching. Following the 2026 NCAA Tournament, health concerns pushed him to briefly weigh retirement, a rare pause for a coach who has spent so much of his career defining the Jayhawks. Now, with his health in a good place, Self is back and getting ready to guide a roster that will look plenty different when the new season begins.
The decision was not made quickly, and it followed a series of medical conversations that gave Self a clearer picture of where he stood. Those talks helped settle the question of whether stepping away was necessary, and he ultimately chose to keep coaching at Kansas. For a program that has long followed his lead, the bigger story now is how he handles a retooled team while leaving the uncertainty of this offseason behind him. [Read more 🡒]
Melvin Council's Kansas Future Now Hinges On One Critical Decision
Melvin Council Jr.s path at Kansas is now tied to a legal fight that could reshape his college basketball clock. The former junior college guard is suing the NCAA, arguing that his time in junior college should not count against his NCAA eligibility, and Kansas is watching closely as Bill Selfs program waits to see whether Council will ultimately be cleared to suit up.
The next major step comes Sept. 4, when a hearing on Councils motion for a temporary injunction is scheduled. If he gets the ruling he is seeking, he could be allowed to play while the lawsuit continues, leaving Kansas with a potentially important piece for the 2026-27 season and Councils future hanging on the court and in the courtroom at once. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Lineup Could Look Very Different If Tre White Comes Back
Kansas is already thinking ahead to a roster that could look a whole lot different if Tre White finds his way back into college basketball. Recent court rulings involving players from the 2022 recruiting class have opened the door to the possibility of an extra year of eligibility, and that has naturally led to some lineup speculation in Lawrence. In that scenario, White would be part of a group that could also feature Tyran Stokes and give the Jayhawks a very different look on both ends of the floor.
But the situation is far from settled, and the uncertainty is what makes it worth watching. Whites path back would depend on temporary eligibility relief, and his NBA Summer League involvement plus a reported Exhibit 10 agreement with the Miami Heat could complicate things further. For now, Kansas can only keep one eye on a possible return and another on the reality that no official decision has been made. [Read more 🡒]