The Kansas football team won its season opener over Fresno State with little trouble from the Bulldogs. The Jayhawks won 31-7, and that was after letting up in the second half.
The offensive success the Jayhawks enjoyed wasn’t all that surprising because they still have quarterback Jalon Daniels at the helm. The offense moved the ball at will on the Bulldogs and could have scored more points if they had wanted to.
The defense was a pleasant surprise. After giving up a quick touchdown to Fresno State on the Bulldogs’ first possession, Kansas shut them down for the rest of the game. KU was particularly dominating against the run, giving up just 37 yards on 29 attempts.
The Jayhawks only allowed 179 yards, and considering that Fresno State was in catch-up mode most of the game, KU was stellar in their pass defense as well.
Kansas had several players who enjoyed strong games on the defensive side, but three stood out.
3 Kansas football defensive players who impressed in the win over Fresno State
No. 3: Kenean Caldwell, DT
Caldwell set the tone for the game defensively very quickly. He was a wrecking ball in the first quarter, disrupting the Bulldogs quarterback E.J. Warner.
He logged one solo tackle, one assisted tackle, a tackle for loss, and a recovered fumble. More than that, however, is how he disrupted several other players by getting into the backfield and breaking up plays. While his stat line isn’t phenomenal, his influence in the game far exceeded his stats.
No. 2: Bangally Kamara, LB
Kamara was terrific on Saturday as he tallied four tackles, all solo. Two were for loss, and one was a strip sack. The latter nailed down the victory and snuffed out any hope Fresno State might have had left.
He looked incredibly quick and fast in his pass rush attempts and created havoc on the edge. He might be undersized when he goes up against the behemoth offensive lineman he will see in the Big 12, but his speed should make up for a lot of that. If he can get around the ends, he should be a force for the Jayhawks all season long.
No. 1: Lyrik Rawls, S
The secondary was a big question mark coming into the season because there are a lot of new faces on the roster, and limited experience. Rawls is in his final season after playing for Oklahoma State for four seasons.
He made five solo tackles and one incredible interception on a tipped ball that he bobbled and bounced around while falling to the ground. He showed fantastic focus and hands to secure the turnover. He brought energy and experience, and he sparked the defense throughout the game.
Had to see this from all angles of course 🤧#RockChalk x @RawlsLyrik pic.twitter.com/bZcPdpJpLC
— Kansas Football (@KU_Football) August 24, 2025
There were other tremendous performances. Trey Lathan led the team with eight total tackles, including one for loss. Dak Brinkley was in on five tackles, Austin Alexander had two tackles for loss, and Devin Dye made a great play to pull in an interception.
It was only one game, but the defense certainly looked to be the strength of the team. If the defense continues to get better each game, this unit could be fantastic before the season is finished. Injured star Dean Miller is still working himself back toward being healthy, and his presence will help this defense be even better.