The Kansas Jayhawks will look to beat ranked opponents in back-to-back games for the first time in program history Saturday when they travel to Provo, Utah to take on No. 7 BYU at 9:15 p.m., CT, on ESPN. Mark Jones, Roddy Jones and Quint Kessenich will have the call.
In a game where Devin Neal became KU’s all-time leading rusher, the Jayhawks handed No. 17 Iowa State a 45-36 defeat last Saturday at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium to improve to 3-6 (2-4 Big 12) on the season. Neal rushed for 116 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries to break June Henley’s school career rushing record of 3,841 yards. Neal enters Saturday night’s game against BYU with 3,951 yards.
Neal also surpassed Henley’s school record of 41 career rushing touchdowns with his two scores. The running back wasn’t the only one to shine against the Cyclones as quarterback Jalon Daniels threw for 295 yards, two touchdowns with no interceptions, while adding 68 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
The win gave the Jayhawks a victory over a ranked opponent for the third straight season, marking the first time the program has accomplished that since 1976-1978. Kansas beat No. 6 Oklahoma last season and No. 18 Oklahoma State in 2022.
The Jayhawks will now face a Top 10 opponent for the first time since that win over the Sooners last year when they face BYU. The Cougars stayed perfect and improved to 9-0 on the season last week with a thrilling 22-21 win at Utah. BYU is led by quarterback Jake Retzlaff, who has thrown for 2,091 yards with 18 touchdowns to just seven interceptions. Darius Lassiter, the younger brother of former Jayhawks Kwamie Lassiter II and Kwinton Lassiter and the son of Kwamie Lassiter, is enjoying a strong senior season for the Cougars with 35 catches for 550 yards and four touchdowns.
Kansas and BYU have met just twice before as this week’s matchup will mark the first time the two teams have ever played in Provo. The Jayhawks beat the Cougars last year in Lawrence, 38-27. Kansas also beat BYU in the 1992 Aloha Bowl in Honolulu, Hawai’i 23-20.
Saturday’s game will feature three of the most accomplished cornerbacks in college football In Kansas’ Cobee Bryant and Mello Dotson and BYU’s Jakob Robinson. Bryant is third in the nation with 13 career interceptions, while Dotson and Robinson are both tied for fourth with 11 career picks. Dotson notched his 11th interception of the season against Iowa State and returned it 25 yards for his fourth career pick-six, which extended his previously set school record.
Bryant shined in KU’s win over BYU last year, forcing a fumble and returning it 22 yards for a touchdown. He also had an interception and a tackle-for-loss in the win. Daniels threw for 130 yards and three touchdowns in the matchup, while Neal rushed for 91 yards and wide receiver Luke Grimm caught two touchdown passes.
Following this week’s game against BYU, Kansas will return to GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium for a Senior Day matchup against No. 18 Colorado.
