This Crazy Stat Shows Just How Rough It's Been for Kansas Football in 2024

Things just keep going downhill for Lance Leipold and the Jayhawks.

Oct 5, 2024; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Lance Leipold reacts against the Arizona State Sun Devils in the second half at Mountain America Stadium. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Kansas football's 2024 season has been a rollercoaster of emotions, and one stat perfectly captures just how frustrating it's been for the Jayhawks.

Despite having a +15 scoring differential, they sit at 1-5 on the season.

Normally, a positive scoring differential signals a team that’s winning more than it’s losing, as it means they’ve outscored their opponents over the course of the year. Yet, Kansas has somehow found itself on the losing end of five games despite outscoring opponents by 15 points overall.

The Jayhawks’ lone victory was a dominant 48-3 performance, inflating their point differential, but their inability to close out tight games has been their downfall.

In multiple contests, Kansas has held leads in the fourth quarter only to let them slip away in the final moments, most recently in a 35-31 loss to Arizona State.

In contrast, their five losses have been gut-wrenchingly close, with Kansas consistently falling short by narrow margins. This stat highlights the Jayhawks' inability to finish games strong, despite showing promise and competing at a high level.

For head coach Lance Leipold and the Jayhawks, they need to turn these competitive efforts into wins.

With half the season still ahead, Kansas will aim to capitalize on its potential and translate that +15 scoring differential into more victories. But as it stands, the 2024 season has been a story of "what could have been" for Kansas football.

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