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LAWRENCE, Kan. – In a rematch of the 2023 Guaranteed Rate Bowl, the Kansas Jayhawks return to Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas to host the UNLV Rebels on Friday night, Sept. 13.

Kickoff is slated for 6 p.m. on ESPN with Anish Shroff (Play-by-Play), Andre Ware (Analyst) and Paul Carcaterra (Sideline) on the call.

Kansas (1-1, 0-0 Big 12) is coming off a 23-17 loss on the road at Illinois on Sept. 7, in a game that Kansas outgained the Illini 327 to 271 yards. The Jayhawks lost the turnover battle, 4-to-1, while the defense held strong holding the Illini to 79 rushing yards.

Kansas is led by senior running back Devin Neal, has rushed for 3,290 career rushing yards and 35 touchdowns on 563 carries. Neal’s career rushing yards and rushing touchdowns are the most among all active running backs from the power-four conferences. Through two games this season, Neal is averaging 9.68 yards per carry, which leads the Big 12 and ranks No. 4 nationally.

UNLV (2-0, 0-0 Mountain West) makes its first trip to the state of Kansas since 2003, and the Rebels are 2-0 following a 72-14 victory over Utah Tech on Saturday, Sept. 7. UNLV was led by wide receiver Ricky White III, who compiled three receiving touchdowns and 111 yards on five receptions, while UNLV totaled 504 rushing yards for only the third time in school history (504) while six different players rushed for a touchdown. The Rebels finished the game with a school record 695 total yards of offense.

Friday night’s meeting between the Jayhawks and the Rebels will be the fourth all-time, but second in the last calendar year. The two teams met in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl on Dec. 26, 2023, in Phoenix, Arizona, with Kansas defeating UNLV 49-36.

The Guaranteed Rate Bowl win was Kansas’ first bowl victory since 2008, as the Jayhawks were led by a school record-tying six passing touchdown performance from quarterback Jason Bean. Kansas seniors Luke Grimm and Lawrence Arnold each caught three touchdown passes each, marking the first time in Kansas football history that two players have had three receiving touchdowns in the same game.

Prior to last year’s meeting, the two teams had most recently met in Lawrence in 2003, where Kansas secured a 46-24 victory. UNLV won the first meeting between the two teams in 2002, 31-20 in Las Vegas.

Friday night’s game against UNLV will be Kansas’ final game played at Children’s Mercy Park this season, as KU will play its final four home games at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium to host TCU (Sept. 28), Houston (Oct. 19), Iowa State (Nov. 9) and Colorado (Nov. 23) later this season. All six of Kansas’ home games during the 2024 season are being played in the Kansas City area while construction continues on the transformational University of Kansas Gateway District.