It was a disappointing loss, to say the least, for the Jayhawks against TCU, especially after shutting out the Horned Frogs in the first half. TCU wiped out a 13-0 lead halfway through the third quarter, storming back to win 22-16.
Unfortunately, this is becoming a pattern for the Jayhawks under Lance Leipold. Behind backup quarterback Cole Ballard, who stepped in for Isaiah Marshall after he was ruled out at game time, Kansas struggled to get anything going when it mattered most in the end.
The Jayhawks will need to put the disappointing loss behind them quickly as they turn around and host the UCF Knights in Week 10. The Knights are coming off polar opposite games in the last two weeks. First, they took down No. 2 BYU in a crazy double overtime for the Knights' biggest win in program history, then turned around and lost to a Baylor team that just fired its head coach.
This will probably be a close matchup, as indicated by the betting line. Kansas is the favorite in this one, granted some of that could come with uncertainty at quarterback for UCF.
Early odds for UCF vs. Kansas in Week 10
Odds provided by FanDuel Sportsbook
Spread
- UCF: +2.5 (+102)
- Kansas: -2.5 (-124)
Moneyline
- UCF: +120
- Kansas: -142
Total
- O/U: 47.5 (-122/+100)
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Both Kansas and UCF could be on backup QBs in Week 10
Marshall was a late scratch for the Jayhawks before kickoff vs. TCU, but everyone knew he would be a game-time decision. Marshall popped up on the initial injury report for Kansas on Wednesday, but was downgraded to questionable on Thursday. That downgrade felt like Marshall was probably trending towards not playing, putting the game in Ballard's hands.
Ballard didn't perform horribly, going 20-for-35 for 285 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. Like Marshall, Ballard used his legs, running the ball 13 times for 36 yards, helping the Jayhawks' run game reach 166 yards.
Whether or not Marshall will return for the UCF game is unknown at this time, but it seems the Knights are in a similar position. Backup quarterback Keyone Jenkins, who started six games for the injured Alonzo Barlett III, went down with a leg injury against the Bears, although he wasn't playing very well before the injury.
Barnett was good to go for the game, but with what Jenkins did against BYU, he deserved the start. Now, it looks like head coach Scott Frost has a decision to make with his quarterbacks, especially if both are healthy.
If that is the case, Leipold will need to game plan for both, and depending on who is ready for Kansas this weekend between Marshall and Leipold, it wouldn't be surprising to see this line move throughout the week.
If UCF is down with injuries, especially at the quarterback position, this could be the Jayhawks best shot at getting another Big 12 win this season, especially with the tough schedule remaining in the final weeks of the regular season.
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