The Kansas Jayhawks‘ football program has found new life with head coach Lance Leipold, but can they deliver on their high AP Poll ranking with a College Football Playoff appearance? The pieces are there, and opportunity is on the horizon.
Kansas Jayhawks Earn AP Top 25 Ranking: Is the CFB Playoff on the Table?
In just his second year with Kansas, Coach Leipold led the Jayhawks to their first bowl game since 2008. And in his third year (2023), he earned the Jayhawks their best season-ending record since 2007.
Kansas might just be in a new golden era with Leipold at the helm, and they have eyes on reaching double-digit wins for the first time since Mark Mangino. Hopes are high in Lawrence, as are expectations across the nation.
The latest AP Poll reflects this.
Kansas indeed appears on the latest AP Poll and is ranked 22nd in the nation. The Jayhawks are ranked above other challengers like USC, NC State, and Iowa, and they’re one of just five Big 12 squads represented among the league leaders.
The high ranking, combined with Kansas’ strong coaching foundation and its pool of returning players, has many wondering just how high the ceiling is for the resurgent Jayhawks.
With the expanded College Football Playoff field making its introduction, is this the year for Kansas?
Jalon Daniels, Devin Neal, Cobee Bryant Headline Kansas Jayhawks’ Notable Returners
You always hear about college football teams “loading up.” Kansas did that ahead of the 2024 season, and they did it without dipping too far into the transfer portal — a rare feat in the modern CFB landscape.
More accurately, the Jayhawks reloaded. They brought back star quarterback Jalon Daniels and star running back Devin Neal. Kansas also brought back its three starting receivers in Lawrence Arnold, Quentin Skinner, and Luke Grimm.
On the offensive line, the Jayhawks have five upperclassmen starters — experience that should help hedge for the losses of Dominick Puni and Mike Novitsky. They also brought in Bryce Foster, an experienced starter from Texas A&M with talent to mold at center.
On defense, nearly the entire secondary remains intact, with productive playmaking cornerbacks Cobee Bryant and Ra’Mello Dotson returning for another year. That secondary will be the key against Big 12 passing attacks, but Jereme Robinson also returns as a quality pass rusher — an important retainment with Austin Booker’s departure.
All told, the Jayhawks brought back around 75% of their starting production from the 2023 season. More importantly, they kept the bedrock that made their offense so dangerous.
The Jayhawks averaged almost 35 points per game in 2023, and their 2024 number could be close to that. As opposing teams seek to keep up, ball hawks like Bryant and Dotson could take advantage. Ultimately, whether Daniels can stay healthy is the biggest question mark.
Who Are the Jayhawks’ Biggest Threats in the Big 12?
The playoff field is still limited, but 12 spots allows for much more flexibility than four alone. It’s no longer limited only to dominant conference performers, and a team like Kansas could sneak in if they prove consistent enough across the slate.
The Jayhawks’ non-conference schedule isn’t all too pressing. Illinois poses the greatest threat from the Big Ten, but Kansas has the roster superiority to repeat as winners in that matchup. UNLV might also play spoiler with its high-powered offense, but the Jayhawks can win so long as they stay disciplined.
As long as Kansas takes care of business in the non-conference schedule, the key to a CFB Playoff appearance is controlling the Big 12. And to find their top challengers, we can start with the other ranked teams in the conference.
As of now, there are four other ranked teams in the Big 12: Utah (12th), Oklahoma State (17th), Kansas State (18th), and Arizona (21st).
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Utah is always well-coached with Kyle Whittingham. Oklahoma State is similarly well-suited with Mike Gundy, and their offense will be steady with Ollie Gordon II. Arizona is the sleeping giant, with multiple first-round 2025 NFL Draft prospects and a steely QB in Noah Fifita.
However, Kansas has a head-to-head matchup with only one of these teams: Kansas State. And the absence of Oklahoma and Texas only emboldens the opportunity at stake.
But there are other threats to consider. Houston, with 2025 NFL Draft hopeful Donovan Smith at the helm, could be a troublesome opponent, as could Colorado, with Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter.
Elsewhere, Matt Campbell’s Iowa State Cyclones might also outperform their initial ranking. The Cyclones have an abundance of talent on offense and defense, and they’re led by a respectable quarterback in Rocco Becht.
Of all these teams, one could argue Kansas is one of the most complete. As mentioned earlier, the Jayhawks have much of their starting talent returning on both sides of the ball, and they still have the two-headed monster of Daniels and Neal in the backfield.
It remains to be seen how much potency the offense will maintain without offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki. In his place is long-time coordinator Jeff Grimes, who experienced great success with Zach Wilson at BYU.
Theoretically, with Kansas’ lack of ranked head-to-head matchups, they could be in the running for a spot in the Big 12 Championship Game if they can exit the regular season with at least nine or 10 wins. A win in the title game would work further to ensure a CFB Playoff spot, but an appearance alone is the first step.
Bottom line: Kansas’ program has the talent, leadership, and stability to distinguish itself in the new-look Big 12. The schedule is relatively light, and the Jayhawks could control their own destiny — so long as they win the winnable games.
Kansas Jayhawks Game-By-Game Winning Probabilities
- Kansas (-28) vs. Lindenwood (Projection: W)
- Kansas (-2.5) @ Illinois (Projection: W)
- Kansas (-13) vs. UNLV (Projection: W)
- Kansas (2.5) @ West Virginia (Projection: L)
- Kansas (-6.5) vs. TCU (Projection: W)
- Kansas (-11) @ Arizona State (Projection: W)
- Kansas (-8) vs. Houston (Projection: W)
- Kansas (4) @ Kansas State (Projection: L)
- Kansas (-2.5) vs. Iowa State (Projection: W)
- Kansas (-7) @ BYU (Projection: W)
- Kansas (-4.5) vs. Colorado (Projection: W)
- Kansas (-2.5) @ Baylor (Projection: W)
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