Our staff gathers to tell you what they expect to see in today’s game.
The Kansas Jayhawks return to the field today in search of the ultimate victory they need to qualify for a bowl this season, and the opponent is an Oklahoma State Cowboys team that lost a major to Kansas State and an undisclosed position from the quarterback.
Struggling after with questions about the health of not only Spencer Sanders but other top players on the roster, can the Cowboys generate enough points to surpass the Jayhawks’ high-octane offense?
Do you disagree with our assessment? Make sure you read them all, and then jump on Discord or Twitter to share your thoughts.
Kyle Davis
Table of Contents
Check out our Oklahoma State preview for the full stop and Kyle’s prediction.
Brendan Dzwierzynski
K-State chose the worst time to humiliate Oklahoma, so I predict the Cowboys are going to be angry. Now, does that mean they’ll be angry enough to beat a Kansas team that’s approaching a bye week with starting QB Jalon Daniels? Well, in a word, yes. First of all, we don’t know whether it will be Jason Bean or Daniels or a combination of the two, and the two, with the exception of the KSU debacle, Pokes still averages 39 points per game. I think it will be too much and will have to wait another week to be eligible to bowl.
Oklahoma State 45, Kansas 38.
Derek Knowley
Obviously, I would feel a lot better about this game if Jalon Daniels was healthy enough to play, but I really have a good vibe for this game. The spread has gone as far as a touchdown in a few places, and I have a feeling (but no inside info) that it will be Gunnar Gundy who gets the call from Oklahoma State. If so, it becomes a more manageable outlet for KU defense. Avoid costly penalties on defense and focus the ball on offense and I think the Jayhawks will secure bowling eligibility.
Kansas 35, Oklahoma State 34.
luke murphy
After getting freshly prepared and ready in the bye week, the Jayhawks will begin one of the toughest remaining schedules in college football. The first game on the board is at home against the Oklahoma State Cowboys. The Cowboys will have rookie quarterback Gunnar Gundy. The Jayhawks’ defense must make the most of this opportunity to see a young quarterback down the road at the packed David Booth Memorial Stadium.
Quarterback Jalon Daniels is back in practice and it doesn’t matter if he gets a nod or Jason Bean, the Jayhawks’ offense will face one of the worst defenses in the Big 12. The Cowboys rank last in the Big 12, giving their opponent 455.3 yards. per game. Oklahoma State also ranks ninth in the Big 12 with 31.1 points per game. For a Kansas Jayhawks offense that has had a lot of power for most of the season, this should indicate earning a few points.
Most punters have the game relatively close, with Kansas supporting more than one at home. Plus/Minus is currently at 63. If OSU’s Spencer was playing Sanders, it would be a no-brainer. I still hope to get hit overs in this game, especially with the beautiful weather forecast.
Kansas 38, Oklahoma State 28
A major change to the lineup this week tells me that there is some non-public information that has come to the Jayhawks’ help. My gut tells me it’s related to the Spencer Sanders situation. But even if he was available, Oklahoma State’s offense became progressively worse in the game with him, largely due to the Cowboys’ deteriorating health and depth.
Kansas is coming off the week and ready to make some noise, while Oklahoma State is limping through the final four weeks of the season after getting a very early goodbye. I don’t know if Jalon Daniels will start, but even if he doesn’t, the Kansas offense has enough firepower to take this win. Furthermore, Oklahoma State’s ongoing game isn’t enough to take advantage of the Kansas defense.
