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Kansas' Big 12 opponents reveal promises that the Jayhawks will be tested plenty on the road

The Kansas Jayhawks can count on some easier fixtures at home next season. However, when asked to hit the road, things may look different
ByConnor Mardian|
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Mar 22, 2026; San Diego, CA, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self reacts in the first half against the St. John's Red Storm during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Viejas Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Mar 22, 2026; San Diego, CA, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self reacts in the first half against the St. John's Red Storm during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Viejas Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The questions around whether or not this transfer-cultivated Kansas Jayhawk roster can work its way past the first weekend of March for the first time since lifting the title in 2022 won’t be answered until the NCAA Tournament, but the regular season will give several great indications over how this iteration of the Jayhawks will do under head coach Bill Self. 

Earlier this month we dove into Kansas’ up-and-down non-conference schedule, which will see both high-profile matchups under the lights of some of the nation’s most historic venues, combined with the typical drubbings of tune-up games. 

However, earlier today, KU announced its conference opponents organized by location. 

Kansas is given mild home stands, but dangerous trips away from home

Let’s first address the home-and-away portion, which will see the Jayhawks take on Baylor, Iowa State and Kansas State. 

Kansas faced the Bears once last season in what would probably go down as Darryn Peterson’s best performance in a KU jersey, as the future NBA lottery pick notched a wildly efficient 26 points in a dominant 80-62 win for Kansas.

Self and Co split the series against the Cyclones last season. Iowa State kick-started Kansas’ electric eight-game winning run that flipped the fortunes of a 1-2 conference start. Funnily enough, when Kansas made the trip to Ames, Iowa, T.J. Otzelberger’s side waxed KU, ending their winning run. 

The Jayhawks thoroughly dominated the Wildcats in both fixtures last season, one of which was against Kansas State interim coach Matthew Driscoll. 

At Allen Fieldhouse only, Kansas will take on Arizona State, UCF, Colorado, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and West Virginia. 

If you wanted a chance to see Kansas go undefeated inside the historic Fieldhouse this season, your wish may have just come true. 

Yes, the Jayhawks lost against Arizona State, UCF and West Virginia away from home last season, which were all ugly markers on their slate, but with those teams set to come inside one of the most daunting environments college basketball has to offer, the odds take a strong swing into Kansas’ favor. 

Texas Tech will be a fun matchup as last season’s trip to Lubbock, Texas, was saved by Peterson’s late-game heroics.

In matchups against Colorado and Oklahoma State last season, things were relatively straightforward even though Self missed out on the game against the Buffaloes with a non-emergency trip to the hospital. 

Now, while those aforementioned trips look promising, Kansas can afford few slip-ups against this away slate that comprises Arizona, BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, TCU and Utah. 

The Wildcats decimated the Jayhawks last season away from home, and Kansas does not have a great history traveling to face the Cougars, as BYU dismantled the Jayhawks 97-51 in the 2024-25 season. Kelvin Sampson has turned the Fertitta Center into a fortress, having gone 48-2 over the last three seasons at home. In the 2024-25 season, KU fell 65-59 at Fertitta. 

Games against the Utes and the Horned Frogs should provide stable wins, but the Jayhawks are used to getting shocked in bizarre games. Last season against the Sun Devils, for example, despite the lingering exit of then-head coach Bobby Hurley filling the Desert Financial Arena, Kansas was sent home with a sour 70-60 defeat.

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