Kansas at UCF
Where: Acrisure Bounce House Stadium
When: Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
TV: ESPN2
Weather: 75 degrees with 35% chance of precipitation
Latest line: Kansas by 5.5 points
Coaches: Scott Frost, 3rd season at UCF, 22-8 (38-39 overall); Lance Leipold, 6th season at Kansas, 25-30 (171-69 overall).
Quick slant: This is the second meeting between the two football programs. … In their last meeting, Kansas showcased a dominant ground game, racking up nearly 400 rushing yards. Running backs Devin Neal and Daniel Hinshaw combined for 288 yards and three touchdowns and the Jayhawks surged to a resounding 51-22 win in Lawrence on October 7, 2023. Timmy McClain threw two touchdowns in relief of an injured John Rhys Plumlee and running back RJ Harvey had 133 yards and a touchdown.
About UCF (3-1, 0-1 Big 12): UCF faced a tough setback last Saturday, suffering a 34-20 defeat at Kansas State. The Knights fell behind early, trailing by as much as 17 points midway through the second half, as they struggled to bounce back against the Wildcats, who posted a season-high 266 rushing yards. Jacurri Brown, who took over for the injured Tayven Jackson, managed to connect with DJ Black for an 82-yard touchdown, while running back Jaden Nixon contributed with a 54-yard touchdown run.
About Kansas (3-2, 1-1 Big 12): Kansas dropped its first Big 12 game of the season after allowing Cincinnati’s Tawee Walker to score on a 2-yard run with 29 seconds left for a disappointing 37-34 loss to the Bearcats. The result spoiled Jalon Daniels’ near-career day as the Jayhawks quarterback threw for 445 yards and four touchdowns in the losing effort. It was the second-highest single-game total for Daniles and the fifth-best mark in program history.
3 things to watch
1. Kansas enters this weekend ranked second in the Big 12 in sacks (14) and tackles for loss (35). Edge rusher Leroy Harris III leads the way for the Jayhawks with 3.5 sacks, while defensive tackle DJ Withers is right behind with 2 sacks. UCF allowed a season-worst 3 sacks in last Saturday’s loss at Kansas State.
2. UCF running back Jaden Nixon has made a habit of finding the end zone, scoring a touchdown in each of the Knights’ four games this season. The redshirt senior currently tops the conference with an impressive average of 14.3 yards per carry. Notably, three of his runs have surpassed 10 yards, including touchdowns of 87, 66, and 54 yards.
3. Kansas ranks second in the Big 12 for explosive plays (defined as those that gain 20 or more yards), boasting a total of 32. In contrast, UCF is tied for seventh with 23 explosive plays. However, both teams are among the conference leaders in terms of offensive plays of 50 yards or more, with the Knights recording six such plays and Kansas not far behind with five.
Please find me on X, Bluesky or Instagram @osmattmurschel. Email: mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com. Sign up for the Sentinel’s Knights Weekly newsletter for a roundup of all our UCF coverage.
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