LAWRENCE, Kan. – Following a two-game road swing, the Kansas Jayhawks are set to return home to David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium this week when they host Baylor in the 114th Homecoming matchup on Saturday.
The Jayhawks have won four straight Homecoming matchups after securing a 38-21 win over Oklahoma State last year. Kansas will look to extend the streak to five this week against the Bears with the game scheduled for 12 p.m., CT on TNT with JB Long, Mike Golic Jr., and Allie LaForce on the call.
Both teams are coming off losses last time out with the Jayhawks falling to Kansas State 35-24 in Manhattan, while host Baylor fell to TCU 17-6. Kansas will look to get on track back at The Booth, where Kansas is 2-1 this season.
Quarterback Isaiah Marshall continues to lead the charge offensively, and has thrown for 1,294 yards this season with nine touchdowns. He also rushed for 117 yards last game against Kansas State and is up to 372 rushing yards on the season. That total is just three yards behind the team’s leading rusher, Dylan Edwards, who has 375 yards and four touchdowns on the ground to go with 155 receiving yards and a receiving score. Receiver Nik McMillan continued his strong season Saturday and now leads the team with 23 catches for 400 yards and four touchdowns.
Marshall, Edwards, McMillan and the offense will go against a Baylor defense that is ranked 39th in the country and fifth in the Big 12 Conference in total defense, allowing 326.7 yards per game. The Bears rank ninth in the country and second in the league in scoring defense, allowing just 14.7 points per game. They’re also ninth in the country and fourth in the Big 12 in rushing defense, allowing just 86.7 yards per game on the ground.
On the other side of the ball, Baylor’s offense is also ranked 39th in the country in total offense, while the passing game is the strength of its attack, ranking 16th in the country and third in the league in passing offense at 286 yards per game. Quarterback DJ Lagway is averaging 279 yards per game and has thrown eight touchdowns to three interceptions on the season. Receiver Gavin Freeman has 49 catches for 555 yards and two touchdowns on the season. His 8.17 catches per game rank third in the country and tops in the Big 12. He’s third in the league in receiving yards per game.
The Kansas defense has defended well against the pass this season and ranks third in the league, allowing just 174.3 passing yards per game. Upperclassmen Trey Lathan and Leroy Harris III continue to lead the way with Lathan leading the team with 41 total tackles and 3.5 tackles-for-loss, while Harris has 27 total stops, 9.5 tackles-for-loss, three sacks, four pass breakups and three forced fumbles. Harris ranks second in the conference and seventh in the country, averaging 1.58 tackles-for-loss per game.