Late-season Kansas push to land a bowl berth arrives at Baylor, winner of 5 straight games
Kansas running back Devin Neal (4) celebrates with tight end Jared Casey (47) and quarterback Jalon Daniels (6) after scoring a touchdown during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Colorado, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. Credit: AP/Charlie Riedel
Kansas (5-6, 4-4 Big 12) at Baylor (7-4, 5-3), Saturday, noon ET (ESPN)
BetMGM College Football Odds: Kansas by 1 1/2.
Series record: Baylor leads 18-4.
What's at stake?
After becoming the first team in FBS history with a losing record to win three consecutive games against ranked opponents, Kansas has to win its regular-season finale to get bowl eligible. Baylor has the Big 12's longest active winning streak at five in a row. The Bears, who started 0-3 in Big 12 play, are one of nine teams still mathematically in contention for a spot in the conference championship game, but it would take a lot of chaos for that to happen. Baylor has won the last 13 games in the series, and is 11-0 in Waco against the Jayhawks.
Key matchup
Kansas cornerbacks Cobee Bryant and Mello Dotson against Baylor's passing game. Bears quarterback Sawyer Robertson has only seven interceptions this season, but three came last week in a win over Houston. He had 204 yards passing with two touchdowns, and has 21 scores the last eight games. Bryant and Dotson have combined for 25 career interceptions, the most by any cornerback duo in the country. Dotson's five picks this year are tied for the Big 12 lead, and Bryant has four.
Players to watch
Kansas: Devin Neal, already the career leader at his hometown university with 4,210 yards and 48 touchdowns rushing, ran a career-high 37 times for 207 yards with three touchdowns, and caught four passes for 80 yards and another score in the Jayhawks' home finale win over Colorado last week. In two career games against Baylor, he has 20 carries for 65 yards.
Baylor: WR Josh Cameron has caught 36 passes for 541 yards and eight touchdowns, and ranks second nationally averaging 20.7 yards per punt return.
Baylor running back Bryson Washington scores against TCU in the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in Waco, Texas. Credit: AP/Rod Aydelotte
Facts & figures
The Jayhawks are 9-8 in Big 12 games since the start of the 2023 season. Prior to coach Lance Leipold's arrival, Kansas was 8-98 in conference games from 2009-20. ... Bryson Washington has set a Baylor freshman record with five 100-yard rushing games. ... Kansas senior WRs Luke Grimm and Lawrence Arnold are among the top six in career receiving yards at the school. Grimm's 2,444 yards rank third, and Arnold is sixth at 2,197 yards. Grimm's 23 career touchdowns are second, behind Dezmon Briscoe's school record of 31 set from 2007-09.
