For the first time in 13 years, Kansas has not been picked to finish last in a preseason Big 12 Conference football poll.
Beginning with the 2011 season, the first Big 12 campaign following the departures of Colorado and Nebraska, the media poll had projected the Jayhawks in last place — generally by a wide margin — every year. That changed Thursday afternoon when KU was selected as the ninth-place team in the new-look 14-team Big 12.
That vote puts the Jayhawks ahead of Iowa State, BYU, Houston, Cincinnati and West Virginia. Three of those schools are new to the league this year; the fourth newcomer, Central Florida, comes in one spot ahead of Kansas in eighth.
The projection reflects newfound public confidence in the Jayhawks following their 6-7 (3-6 Big 12) campaign last season under head coach Lance Leipold, which ended with a bowl berth and an eighth-place finish in the league. It demonstrates in particular the expectations for the high-octane Kansas offense led by quarterback Jalon Daniels, who was named the conference’s preseason offensive player of the year Wednesday. Running back Devin Neal, offensive lineman Mike Novitsky and cornerback Cobee Bryant received first-team honors alongside Daniels. All told, this year’s KU team is expected to return 17 of its 22 starters from the 2022 season.
Back in 2010, the last time Kansas made it out of last place in a preseason poll, the Jayhawks were entering their first year under Turner Gill and were expected to finish fourth in the six-team North division. They instead came in sixth at 3-9 (1-7 Big 12) and finished last in the conference each of the following 11 years except for 2014 (a ninth-place showing).
Prior to 2022, Kansas had not won three conference games in a season since 2008. In fact, it had won three conference games over the last four seasons combined.
Texas, which features preseason Defensive Player of the Year Jaylan Ford at linebacker, was picked to finish first, followed by Kansas State, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, TCU, Baylor and Oklahoma State.
Leipold, Daniels and Neal will be in attendance at next week’s Big 12 Football Media Days in Arlington, Texas, along with linebacker Rich Miller and safety Kenny Logan Jr.
The Jayhawks’ season begins Sept. 1 at home against Missouri State.
Nick Krug
