Kansas Football: Baylor Gameday Preview

Kansas vs. Baylor

Saturday, November 3rd – at Floyd Casey Stadium; Waco, Texas

Jayhawks: 1-7, 0-5 (10th in Big 12) | Bears: 3-4, 0-4 (9th in Big 12)

• Kickoff – 2:30 p.m. (CST)
• Television – FSN
• Radio – Sirius/XM Radio (112/200)
• Weather – Chance of thunderstorms, 82-57 degrees 40% precipitation (via accuweather)
• Odds – Kansas is a home underdog. The over/under for this game is set at 71 points.

Quick History

• 12th meeting, Bears lead series (7-4).
• The Jayhawks trail the all-time series vs. Baylor in Big 12 contests, 5-3.
• Baylor has won two-straight in the series, including a 31-30 overtime win over KU in Lawrence in 2011.
• The Bears are against Kansas in games played in Waco.
• Kansas’ last win over Baylor came in 2007 with a 58-10 win in Lawrence.

Nov 12, 2011; Lawrence, KS, USA;Kansas Jayhawks running back James Sims (29) goes in for a touchdown as he is tackled by Baylor Bears linebacker Rodney Chadwick (26) in the first half at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-US PRESSWIRE

This week, Charlie Weis talked about many things at his weekly press conference at the University of Kansas. During this press conference, he discussed Baylor’s unique set up on offense, what he has meant to the defense, and if a win would move the program forward.

Weis on the Baylor’s unique offensive set up

“I don’t think I’ve seen anyone split from sideline to sideline. I’ve seen people take max splits. Max splits are usually about five yards from the sideline, because if you release you’re out of bounds already. But now if you have 53 yards to cover (across the field), that means that they’ve really spread out your defense as much as you could possibly spread it out.”  (Source: kuathletics)

Weis on what he’s meant to the defense this year

“I think that his knowledge of the game has earned the respect of the players and he’s a very good teacher. You’re not looking to be buddy-buddy with the players. They know that he knows what he’s doing and he he’s fair with them. Therefore, they all respect him.” (Source: kuathletics)

Weis on if he thinks a win would move the program forward

“I think a win helps validate all the hard work and effort they (the players) have been doing. No matter what everyone sees about games getting closer, improvement and everything, you can’t believe you’ve truly turned a corner until you have something more definite to show from it. So, I think that winning is very, very important.” (Source: kuathletics)

[Also read: Nick Florence is one to watch]

Three Keys to Victory

1. Run the ball. Kansas ran the ball very well last week against Texas. In that game, James Sims ran for 176 yards on 28 carries against the Longhorns. Kansas will need another strong showing from their rushing attack in today’s game. When teams run the ball well, it opens up the possibilities for the passing game.
2. Put pressure on the quarterback. Nick Florence is going to be the man that will stand between the Jayhawks and a win. He is a key of the Baylor offense. The Jayhawk defense will need to pressure Florence and make him feel uncomfortable. If they force him to be uncomfortable, Kansas should win.
3. Be Patient with Michael Cummings. Michael Cummings did not have a good game based on the stats sheet last week. However, Kansas will need to be patient with him. He is not going to be a superstar overnight. People need to remember that this season is his learning season as starting quarterback. 

[Also read: Three Ways to Defeat Baylor]

Gameday Thoughts

• The Jayhawks will need to run the ball effectively against the Baylor Bears this week. Last week, all Kansas did was run the ball and they almost defeated a good Texas team. If the Jayhawks can run just as strong as they did last week and mix in more of the pass, they should defeat the Bears.
• Kansas will need to stop the Bears when they get to the redzone in today’s game. Kansas’s red zone defense is currently ranked 13th in the nation. In the Big 12, Kansas’ defense is the best in this category.
• The defense will have a tough task ahead of them this weekend. That task is stopping Baylor’s quarterback Nick Florence. Florence has 2,652 yards and 22 touchdowns this season. He is the centerpiece of the Baylor offense. If Kansas stops or slows down Florence, they will win the game.

[Also read: Baylor and Kansas News and Notes]

Apr 28, 2012; Lawrence, KS, USA; Kansas Jayhawks linebacker Toben Opurum (35) watches during the second half of the Spring Game at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-US PRESSWIRE

Injury Report

Kansas linebacker Jake Love is listed as probable with a head injury. Last week against Texas, Love had 6 total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and one sack. He is expected to play against Baylor.

Kansas defensive end Toben Opurum is listed probable with a leg injury. He only recorded four total tackles and one tackle for loss in the game against the Longhorns last week. Opurum is also expected to play against Baylor this week.

After being listed as questionable last week, Kansas wide receiver Daymond Patterson is listed as probable this week with a head injury. He did not catch a single pass against Texas, but is expected to play against Baylor.

Prediction

This will be Kansas’ “game of the season.” This is because their is a really good chance that this game could be their only conference win of the season. With both teams, it will come down to which defense can play better.

With Kansas, it is stopping the pass and, for Baylor, it is stopping the run. Kansas will need to slow down Nick Florence and should for the most part. Baylor will need to stop James Sims and the Kansas run game. Kansas has the ability to run the ball really well and it will show in the game.

The Jayhawks will win their first Big 12 Conference game.

Final score: Kansas 21, Baylor 17

[Also read: Defense Continues to Hamper Baylor’s Plans]

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