Lance Leipold has raised the floor of the Kansas Jayhawks to a point where he has become underappreciated across the nation.
Yes, back-to-back 5-7 seasons are a disappointment, but before Lance Leipold joined the program, the last time Kansas reached five wins in a season was in 2009 under Mark Mangino.
However, Leipold hasn’t shied away from admitting that the past two seasons have failed to meet the standards required and through his time at KU there has been one consistent thorn in his side, one-score finishes.
Even when we look past the 2024 campaign and focus squarely on last season, the Jayhawks lost heartbreakers to Cincinnati, where Kansas couldn’t stop a runny nose in a 37-34 loss, following that up with a 27-20 loss to Arizona in the third-to-last game of the season where the Jayhawks were clawing for a bowl game.
Kansas has struggled in the clutch
According to ESPN’s Bill Connelly, one-score losses were a major swing in Matt Campbell’s turnaround at Iowa State, and could be the same at KU.
“Kansas hasn't enjoyed the same heights under Leipold [as Campbell at ISU], but going 9-4 in 2023 with a No. 25 SP+ ranking was shocking for a program that had averaged just 1.9 wins per season from 2010 to 2021. The Jayhawks are still playing at a top-60 level, but they've lost nine of their past 11 one-score finishes. (And that doesn't include a pair of 10-point losses in 2025 that were within three points in the final minutes.)”
The Jayhawks lost 31-21 to Utah and 42-31 against Missouri, in games Kansas could have easily walked home with.
“Back-to-back 5-7 records are still impressive considering KU's recent history, but frustration is rising. And now the offense that has carried the program for a while is undergoing a massive facelift,” finished Connelly.
In fourth-quarter losses decided by 11 points or fewer, Kansas was outpaced by a 49-21 margin, with 28 of those points coming in the season-ending loss to the Utes.
According to Connelly’s SP+ rank, the Jayhawks currently measure to a 3.6 rating, meaning the Jayhawks would beat an average team on a neutral field by 3.6 points. This is good enough for No. 55 nationally, and No. 12 in the Big 12.
Can Kansas expect bowl eligibility under Leipold?
It is amazing what the difference of a few drives means for Kansas last season. If Kansas didn’t give up late touchdowns to the Tigers, Bearcats, or the Wildcats, then Kansas could have easily soared into a bowl spot, and instead we are left with a daunting task of attempting to scoop out a path for the Jayhawks to make a bowl game. If you take stock in the numbers, according to Connelly, KU is given a 58% chance of attaining 6+ wins; Kansas is also projected to win 3.6 conference games, averaging around where Leipold has been the last two seasons, demanding a strong out-of-conference slate that sees Kansas take on LIU, Middle Tennessee State and Missouri.
More Kansas Football News
Add us as a preferred source on Google