Kansas Is Proving Its Magical Start Is No Fluke

Plus, Wake Forest shook off its underdog status to hand Florida State its first loss.

Let’s catch our breath here after a feisty noon window. Kansas won again, this time after Iowa State missed a game-tying field goal attempt late, and is now 5–0 after the 14–11 victory. Jayhawks fans stormed the field, and it sets up what could be the early game of the year in the Big 12 when Kansas hosts TCU next weekend.

It’s such a big deal that the operators put up 5–0 on the big screen in the stadium as fans poured onto the field. They are truly partying like it’s 2007 in Lawrence thanks to the belief second-year coach Lance Leipold has brought to the program. Saturday’s game showed that Kansas can win without much from quarterback Jalon Daniels (7-for-14, 93 passing yards) and the offense, as the low-scoring affair would indicate. It was able to lean on stingy defense to shut down Iowa State’s run game and keep the Cyclones fairly one-dimensional. (ISU coach Matt Campbell will be second-guessed for leaning on a field goal kicker who finished the game 1 for 4.) But these Jayhawks aren’t a fad, and they’re certainly a factor in the Big 12 race moving forward.

MORE: CFB World Challenges AP Voters to Rank Kansas

Meanwhile, Wake Forest was a seven-point underdog to Florida State, and while there aren’t many times that the folks in Vegas get it wrong, they certainly did this time as the Deacons won 31–21 in Tallahassee to knock the Seminoles from the ranks of the undefeateds. 

Much is made and much will be made about Wake Forest’s passing attack, but what shined was its running game late in the proceedings, including on a 18-play, 66-yard drive to effectively ice the game and give Wake the 10-point lead. There were subplots in this game all week, including the Demon Deacons being not entirely pleased this game was being played in Florida at all on Saturday and a muddy travel situation as they tried to work around Hurricane Ian. But they got there, and they’re leaving victorious.

Elsewhere:

• Alabama’s Bryce Young has what coach Nick Saban told CBS is a “sprained shoulder,” which forced him to exit the 49–26 win over Arkansas in the second quarter. Backup Jalen Milroe came in and gave the Tide enough big plays in the run game with running back Jahmyr Gibbs to hold off the Hogs, who looked to be comeback-minded for a bit in the third quarter when they made things close. But Bama shut the door, and it’ll move on to Texas A&M next week.
  
  
• Oklahoma State beat Baylor 36–25. Quarterback Spencer Sanders was efficient with the ball, albeit not explosive in the passing game with a 20-for-29, 181-yard day, adding 75 yards on the ground.
  
  
• Yeah, there was a pretty big comeback for Ball State.