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)
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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. The ground game will take Kansas football far

Kansas totaled 245 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground from four different players. They won’t have the opportunity to play an FCS D-line every game, but it was a dominant showing from each of the Jayhawks’ tailbacks. Daniel Hishaw Jr. bounced back from a first-quarter fumble with a big touchdown run in the fourth, and Dylan McDuffie displayed his power back abilities with a powerful end zone trot to begin the second half.

All of these backs complement each other very well, and when you factor in the dual-threat abilities of both quarterbacks, it’s easy to see why Kansas finished in the top 30% of rushing offenses last year.