Predicting order of finish for each Big 12 football team in 2023 season
7. Kansas
We are a Kansas blog, after all, so we’ll dive a bit deeper into our predicted Big 12 football rankings for the Jayhawks.
A Power 5 school that returns the second-most talent in the nation would normally be a frontrunner in their respective conference, but that is not the case with Kansas. An electric 5-0 start to the season was capped off with a 1-7 finish, which included some abysmal defensive performances.
The Jayhawks had the worst defense in the Big 12 last season, and that likely won’t change this year. However, they have Jalon Daniels — arguably a top-ten quarterback in the nation — and the conference’s only returning 1,000-yard rusher in Devin Neal.
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Defensive line is a major concern, with 2022 sack and tackle for loss leader Lonnie Phelps heading to the NFL. Kansas addressed the missing D-tackle spots with transfers Devin Phillips and Gage Keys, but there aren’t many guys who can get a sack off the edge.
As we witnessed in the 55-53 overtime thriller in the Liberty Bowl versus Arkansas, Kansas has an explosive offense. It’s a given that the defense won’t do well, but KU will only go as far as Jalon Daniels takes them. Continuity at quarterback and head coach makes a huge difference in college football, so we’ll see how the year plays out.