Kansas football might have just gotten a break on its schedule

An alleged betting scandal surrounding a player in the Big 12 could bolster the chances of Kansas football reaching a consecutive bowl game.

In recent years, both the NCAA and NFL have cracked down on players betting on sporting events. With the accessibility that everyone has to online gambling platforms, professional leagues are taking extra precautions regarding the matter.

Unfortunately, these precautions didn’t penetrate the mind of Iowa State quarterback Hunter Dekkers. The redshirt junior from Hawarden has been accused of placing 26 bets on Cyclones matches, including a football game from 2021 when he was on the team.

Dekkers started all 12 games for ISU last season, albeit in a year where the program recorded its lowest win total since 2016. He threw for 3,044 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions as a redshirt sophomore. Big 12 coaches voted him as an honorable mention on the All-Conference teams.

He will likely receive disciplinary action from the NCAA, potentially causing him to permanently forfeit his final years of Division I eligibility. Dekkers is also facing criminal charges of tampering with evidence, according to Iowa court records.

How is Kansas football affected by the Hunter Dekkers allegations?

Although it seems unnecessary to kick a man when he’s down, the Kansas Jayhawks would greatly benefit if Dekkers misses extended time. KU takes on Iowa State for its ninth game of the year in Ames, and it is a meeting that will be a huge deciding factor in whether Lance Leipold’s squad can reach a bowl game for the second straight year.

Kansas finished the regular season 6-6 last year, winning only one game in the second half. Once again, the Jayhawks will face off against some challenging opponents in the latter stages of the year. Dekkers being out could mean that KU can take a game on the road as one of its final games of 2023.

Iowa State was already one of the weaker teams on the schedule, but without a proven signal caller, they immediately become the most winnable conference game for KU. The Cyclones will have to start true freshman JJ Kohl or redshirt freshman Rocco Becht under center. When you take into consideration that other players are also involved in the gambling probe, head coach Matt Campbell could be in for a rough season.

READ: Where does Kansas stand in conference realignment talks?

Of course, no game is a freebie when you’re the Kansas Jayhawks. The program is still digging itself out of a deep hole, and the team still struggled at times last year. It’s also on the road. However, if you want to write off one conference game as a win, this would be the one.

No suspensions have been handed out thus far, but Dekkers did not report to fall camp and probably won’t be anytime soon. The NCAA doesn’t play about this kind of stuff, so it’s a safe bet to assume him out for the 2023 season.

Follow @ThroughThePhog on Twitter and like our page @throughthephog on Facebook for more Kansas basketball coverage.