After losing five consecutive games in what has been a lost season, the Kansas football team gained some momentum with a blowout victory over Houston at Arrowhead Stadium to advance to 2-5. Quarterback Jalon Daniels is playing his best football of the year and the defense caught an astounding four interceptions off the Cougars thanks to a monster performance by Cobee Bryant.
Is it delusional to believe Kansas has a chance to shock the college football universe in Manhattan this weekend? Probably. According to K-State fans, this game is KU's 'Super Bowl' after all. Regardless, the Jayhawks are riding into the upcoming week firing on all cylinders and can look to play spoiler for the College Football Playoff hopefuls.
Kansas opened as a seven-point underdog to Kansas State. The line has since been bet up to 9.5. #KUfball pic.twitter.com/buhZ8XS9Ld
— Michael Swain (@MSwain247) October 20, 2024
Betting lines favor Kansas State by more than one possession
Opening betting lines were released for the Sunflower Showdown on Sunday. The DraftKings Sportsbook line surprisingly opened at seven points, but it rose significantly hours later to make the Jayhawks a 10-point underdog. It certainly isn't as large as it could be given KU's struggles in 2024.
Lance Leipold and his group had struggled mightily up until Saturday, failing to take down an FBS opponent and squandering several contests in the final moments. The talent level has not decreased since last year — in fact, there will be 30 seniors graduating at the end of the season. Ultimately, the squad has looked concerningly undisciplined at times, and the early mistakes by Daniels did not help Kansas football's fortunes.
Kansas State is having yet another solid campaign under head coach Chris Klieman. They currently sit at No. 16 in the AP Poll, holding wins over Arizona, Oklahoma State, Colorado, and others. The Wildcats' potent rushing attack ranks second in the Big 12. Led by workhorse tailback DJ Giddens and quarterback Avery Johnson, K-State can put points up in a hurry.
Considering the Jayhawks have not beaten K-State since 2008, most fans don't expect anything different amidst a disastrous season. However, college football possesses some crazy storylines this season. Why not us?