CFB analyst surprisingly chooses Kansas football to represent Big 12 in CFP

Aside from the two most recent college football seasons, the past 15 years or so have not been too kind to Kansas Jayhawks fans. Fans have endured the lowest of the lows, but those who stuck with the program are now being rewarded generously. Everything is coming together thanks to head coach Lance Leipold.

KU finished 9-4 with its first bowl victory since 2009 in the 2023 campaign. However, the current roster has an even higher ceiling, and the 2024 squad could be playing for more than what anyone could have anticipated a decade ago. When asked who would represent the Big 12 in the new-look 12-team College Football Playoff format, Rece Davis of ESPN's College GameDay chose none other than Kansas. How about that?

College GameDay anchor predicts Kansas football to make CFP

"The answer is Kansas. They’re going to the playoff."

- Rece Davis

In the new format, the conference champions of each Power 4 conference receive an automatic bid to the CFP. Davis believes that Kansas will overcome other contending schools such as Oklahoma State, Utah, and Arizona.

Top returning players include running back Devin Neal, cornerbacks Cobee Bryant and Mello Dotson, and a strong receiving core consisting of Lawrence Arnold, Luke Grimm, and Quentin Skinner. Star quarterback Jalon Daniels was held to three appearances last season due to a recurring back injury, but KU's QB1 is expected to be at full health come the regular season.

While this wasn't a fathomable outcome for Jayhawk fans years ago, Leipold has conducted a complete 180 on the state of the football program. A CFP appearance might be a bit of a stretch, but the roster is certainly capable of competing with the conference's best teams on any given night.