Kansas Jayhawks College Football Fan Viewing Guide - Week 11

Let's dig through the weekend slate to find out which ones are the best to watch.
Kansas Jayhawks College Football Fan Viewing Guide - Week 11
Kansas Jayhawks College Football Fan Viewing Guide - Week 11 /
In this story:

The Kansas Jayhawks are stuck in football ratings hell this week, relegated to ESPN+ at the same time as some other monster matchups in the Big 12. Unless you are a Kansas or Texas Tech Red Raider fan, it's not likely that you will be tuning in.

But that means you WILL need something to watch to scratch that football itch. And let's be honest, there is no reason to waste a perfectly good football-watching weekend just because ESPN wants to stick the team in internet land.

With that in mind, we have a primer for the Kansas Football fan. A full slate of action that you can turn on that will whet that football appetite but also be relevant to your rooting interests. We'll pick a main game for the big TV, and then a second one for flipping during commercials or to stick on that laptop/tablet/second TV that we all know is sitting right there. And with the main screen not occupied by the Kansas game, there will be plenty of interesting games to fill that screen, and others that you will need to make sure you at least follow on your phone.

All game times below are Central. All odds courtesy of SI Sportsbook.

Friday

There is a game worth watching tonight, but it's not the one with a ranked team. Instead, you'll get a chance to go to bed at a decent hour and won't miss anything super important or entertaining, unless things go horribly wrong in Los Angeles.

East Carolina Pirates vs Cincinnati Bearcats

Location: Nippert Stadium, Cincinnati, OH
Game Time: Friday, Nov 11th at 7:00pm
TV Channel: ESPN2
Live Stream: fuboTV (Start your free trial)
Line: CIN -5.0
O/U: 51.0

Why Jayhawk fans should watch:

I expect this to be a highly entertaining, high scoring game. I've really enjoyed keeping up with the incoming members of the Big 12 this season, and this game shouldn't disappoint.

Honorable Mention: Fresno State Bulldogs vs UNLV Rebels

Early Saturday

There's not much here, unless you like to watch SEC beatdowns or struggling teams trying to avoid being absolutely atrocious all season long. Even the Fun (Sun) Belt didn't do us any favors in this slot. That being said, you are going to want to watch SOMETHING in the early slot, and if Kansas Volleyball (1pm on ESPN+) isn't your thing, then give one of these games a try. 

#7 LSU Tigers vs Arkansas Razorbacks

Location: Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville, AR
Game Time: Saturday, Nov 12th at 11am
TV Channel: ESPN
Live Stream: fuboTV (Start your free trial)
Line: LSU -3.5
O/U: 62.0

Why Jayhawk fans should watch:

I'm not sure how they think this one will actually be competitive, unless there is a let-down factor for LSU after beating Alabama or they really aren't as good as people think they are (shocker...). But it should theoretically be high-level football that can keep you entertained while waiting for the real matchups later in the day.

Purdue Boilermakers vs #21 Illinois Fighting Illini

Location: Memorial Stadium, Champaign, IL
Game Time: Saturday, Nov 12th at 11am
TV Channel: ESPN2
Live Stream: fuboTV (Start your free trial)
Line: ILL -6.5
O/U: 44.5

Why Jayhawk fans should watch:

Umm...., don't get too mad at me for this one. Look, I needed something, and the two honorable mention games are for teams trying to stay out of the cellar of their conference standings. There is a sort of sick fascination with those games, but this should theoretically go a long way towards determining who gets slaughtered by the winner of Ohio State-Michigan in the Big Ten Championship.

Honorable Mention: Oklahoma Sooners at West Virginia Mountaineers, Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Michigan State Spartans

Saturday Afternoon

There are some great games in this time slot, including one matchup that got snubbed by College Gameday (we know how that feels). But this is a great spread of appetizers to the main course that is the evening slate.

#22 UCF Knights vs #17 Tulane Green Wave

Location: Yulman Stadium, New Orleans, LA
Game Time: Saturday, Nov 12th at 2:30pm
TV Channel: ESPN2
Live Stream: fuboTV (Start your free trial)
Line: TUL -1.5
O/U: 54.0

Why Jayhawk fans should watch:

This is by far the best game in the slate, with the best chance to be a super competitive game. It's two teams that were expected to be good but not great, playing in what very well may be a preview of the American Championship Game later this year. Expect a highly entertaining game.

#9 Alabama Crimson Tide vs #11 Ole Miss Rebels

Location: Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Oxford, MS
Game Time: Saturday, Nov 12th at 2:30pm
TV Channel: CBS
Live Stream: fuboTV (Start your free trial)
Line: ALA -12.0
O/U: 65.0

Why Jayhawk fans should watch:

It's two overhyped SEC teams, which means that it will get all the love nationally when everyone should really be paying attention to New Orleans instead. Sure, it will provide some entertainment, but if this is anything like a normal Nick Saban Alabama team, then this should turn into a laugher pretty early.

Honorable Mention: Iowa State Cyclones at Oklahoma State Cowboys, Wisconsin Badgers at Iowa Hawkeyes

Saturday Evening

There are some really good matchups in the same window as Kansas this week.  But with Kansas on ESPN+, that means there are more slots for some great Big 12 action.

#4 TCU Horned Frogs vs #18 Texas Longhorns

Location: DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium, Austin, TX
Game Time: Saturday, Nov 12th at 6:30pm
TV Channel: ABC
Live Stream: fuboTV (Start your free trial)
Line: TEX -7.5
O/U: 64.5

Why Jayhawk fans should watch:

It's a game with huge national implications in primetime on national television. You can't get much better than that. This doesn't need much explanation, but Kansas fans are rooting for TCU in this one.

#19 Kansas State Wildcats vs Baylor Bears

Location: McLane Stadium, Waco, TX
Game Time: Saturday, Nov 12th at 6:00pm
TV Channel: FS1
Live Stream: fuboTV (Start your free trial)
Line: BAY -2.5
O/U: 52.0

Why Jayhawk fans should watch:

This one is going to be really difficult to decide who to root for. The Jayhawks still play the Wildcats and can get the tie-breaker over them with a win (as they can with Texas too). But it's tough to root for the Wildcats, given how many things have to happen for Kansas to have a shot at the Championship game.

The quarterback situation for Kansas State is pretty intriguing in this one, with Adrian Martinez back but Will Howard having played so well in his two weeks of action.

Honorable Mention: #25 Washington Huskies at #6 Oregon Ducks

Saturday Late Night

None of the big-name games are any good, as every good Pac-12 team is matched up against an awful one. But there is one game that redeems the timeslot.

San Jose State Spartans vs San Diego State Aztecs

Location: Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego, CA
Game Time: Saturday, Nov 12th at 9:30pm
TV Channel: FS1
Live Stream: fuboTV (Start your free trial)
Line: SJSU -2.5
O/U: 41.0

Why Jayhawk fans should watch:

First off, I had to highlight the fact that San Diego State plays in a place call Snapdragon Stadium. It just sounds awesome. This is by far the most competitive game in the late slate, as Utah, UCLA, Boise State and Utah State are all double-digit favorites against truly awful opponents. This should be an entertaining game between two fairly even teams looking to stay in their conference race.

Join the discussion! Come talk about this or any of our articles on the Blue Wing Rising Discord Server.

Follow Blue Wings Rising on Twitter.

Listen to the official podcast of Blue Wings Rising: The Rock Chalk Podcast.


Published
Andy Mitts
ANDY MITTS

Andy Mitts is an alumnus of the University of Kansas, graduating in 2007. He previously covered the Jayhawks at Rock Chalk Talk and is now the editor-in-chief at Blue Wing Rising. He hosts the Kansas-themed Rock Chalk Podcast, and is VP of Membership of the Ten 12 Podcast Network. Follow him on Twitter @AndyMitts12.