Kansas football: 6 quick takeaways from the Jayhawks victory vs. Missouri State

LAWRENCE, KANSAS - SEPTEMBER 01: Running back Devin Neal #4 of the Kansas Jayhawks is lifted into the air by offensive lineman Dominick Puni #67 after scoring a touchdown in the first half against the Missouri State Bears at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium on September 01, 2023 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)
LAWRENCE, KANSAS - SEPTEMBER 01: Running back Devin Neal #4 of the Kansas Jayhawks is lifted into the air by offensive lineman Dominick Puni #67 after scoring a touchdown in the first half against the Missouri State Bears at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium on September 01, 2023 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)
1 of 7

We came away with these six takeaways following the conclusion of the Kansas football season-opening win against Missouri State.

The Kansas Jayhawks played their first football game in 247 days yesterday and did not disappoint. Despite an injury to star quarterback Jalon Daniels that caused him to miss the entire game, a dominant second half led to a 48-17 KU victory against FCS opponent Missouri State.

An offensive onslaught that saw Kansas rack up 521 total yards was more than enough to take down the Bears. Backup signal caller Jason Bean got the job done, completing 22-of-28 passes for 276 yards and two scores.

It was a successful tune-up for next week’s vital matchup against Illinois, a contest that could decide KU’s bowl eligibility down the stretch. While the first game of the season won’t foretell how the next few months turn out, we came away with these six takeaways about Kansas football and what it means moving forward.