KANSAS

Kansas Jayhawks Bowl Projections Entering Week 4

After back-to-back losses, Kansas is on the bowl bubble. National college football analysts share where they see the Jayhawks playing in the postseason.

Rich Cirminiello

Sep 13, 2024; Kansas City, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks quarterback Jalon Daniels (6) throws a pass during the second half against the UNLV Rebels at Children's Mercy Park. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
Sep 13, 2024; Kansas City, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks quarterback Jalon Daniels (6) throws a pass during the second half against the UNLV Rebels at Children's Mercy Park. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
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Kansas has been to back-to-back bowl games for just the second time in school history. Three in a row? Well, that has never happened before so there's a lot at stake for Lance Leipold and the Jayhawks this fall.

In the preseason, Kansas looked like a lock for bowl-eligibility, even College Football Playoff contention as a threat to win the Big 12. However, after consecutive losses to Illinois and UNLV, the Jayhawks are no longer a sure thing to get to six wins.

As KU prepares for its Big 12 opener at West Virginia this Saturday, here's where national college football analysts project the Jayhawks will be playing this bowl season.

USA Today: Dec. 26 Guaranteed Bowl vs. Illinois (Phoenix, Ariz.)

This would be a rare in-season rematch of the Jayhawks Week 2 loss to the Illini in Champaign.

College Football Network: Jan. 3 First Responder Bowl vs. SMU (Dallas, Tex.)

A home game for the Mustangs who had bigger goals in their first season in the ACC.

Action Network: Dec. 27 Armed Forces Bowl vs. Army (Fort Worth, Tex.)

Kansas and Army have met just once, back in 1922.

Army football head coach Jeff Monken
Army football head coach Jeff Monken after practice on July 30, 2024. / Patrick Oehler/Poughkeepsie Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

Athlon: Jan. 3 First Responder Bowl vs. UTSA (Dallas, Tex.)

This would be the first-ever meeting between the Jayhawks and the Roadrunners.

247Sports: Dec. 27 Armed Forces Bowl vs. Boise State (Fort Worth, Tex.)

The Broncos are still thinking CFP if they can first win the Mountain West Conference.

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Rich Cirminiello
RICH CIRMINIELLO

I've been the VP of College Awards for the Maxwell Football Club since 2008. I oversee and manage all aspects of the Maxwell Award (CFB Player of the Year), Bednarik Award (Defensive POY) and Munger Award (CFB Coach of the Year), including creating watch lists, steering the selection committee and choosing players of the week. I appear weekly on SportsGrid TV to discuss college football, both as a guest and a co-host of various live shows. I oversee and manage two additional college awards, outside the purview of the Maxwell Football Club - former Seattle Seahawk RB Shaun Alexander's Freshman of the Year Award & the Buddy Teevens Award, which was created by Peyton Manning, Archie Manning and Omaha Productions in honor of the late Dartmouth coach. I'm contracted out each May by Phil Steele to help edit the magazine and write select articles leading up to the publication of his annual College Football Preview in June.

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