The Kansas Jayhawks are mere days away from launching their 2026 campaign, as they look to scrape away any remaining bad taste that was left from last season’s 5-7 record, which ended in a second-straight season without a bowl game.
And while fans should eventually be able to dream about something bigger than a routine bowl game, for a program that went over a decade without seeing postseason football, the fact that head coach Lance Leipold could be set to make it three bowl games in six years should not be scoffed at.
Kansas projected to land against Big Ten opposition in latest bowl projection
To the delight of Kansas fans, USA Today’s Erick Smith nominated the Jayhawks to land in the Cactus Bowl against the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
The Cactus Bowl has undergone 12 different name changes; recently, it was known as the Guaranteed Rate Bowl from 2020-23.
Of course, this matchup reunites two former Big 12 foes in the Jayhawks and the Cornhuskers, as the pair have played an astonishing 105 times dating all the way back to 1900.
There is no sugarcoating in that during this rivalry, the Jayhawks hold an 18-87 record, which includes a stint from 1917-43 without a KU win, and a 2-8 record over the last 10 meetings. The last time the two squared off was in 2011, a 31-17 loss for the Jayhawks.
Does this suddenly flip around the momentum of Leipold?
Over the last two seasons, the Jayhawks have come up mere inches short on several occasions from reaching a bowl game. Barren fourth quarters, missed tackles and paltry red-zone rates have hindered KU more than anything else.
And above all, an improvement in those aspects is really what Kansas fans want to see. Bowl games are constantly changing, and tie-ins are always up for grabs, so while it is a mass appeal to see KU take on a historic rival like Nebraska, it shouldn’t be any less positive if Kansas were to face a non-power-conference team.
The real test for this Jayhawk team should be to win more of the 50/50 battles they lost last season. For example, the 37-34 shootout against Cincinnati, or the dire fourth quarter against Utah that ended last season.
Both of those games were lost in several minor mistakes that the opposition capitalized on
If Kansas turns these margins around, not only will it result in more bowl games, but it will also finally mark the end of the bad habits that have been developed.
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