LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Kansas Jayhawks will open a two-game road swing this Saturday when they travel to Orlando to take on UCF for the first time in program history. Kickoff is slated for 6:30 p.m., CT on ESPN2 with Lowell Galindo, Aaron Murray and Lauren Sisler on the call.
Kansas has never faced UCF in Orlando before and has traveled to the city just once before for the 2003 Tangerine Bowl against NC State. The Jayhawks and Knights have faced once all-time with Kansas earning a 51-22 win in 2023 at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.
This year’s matchup is set for the Acrisure Bounce House and will mark the first Big 12 Conference road game of the season for the Jayhawks. Kansas enters the matchup with a 3-2 mark on the young season and a 1-1 record in Big 12 play.
The Jayhawks have been led by quarterback Jalon Daniels, who comes into Saturday’s matchup having already surpassed his 14 touchdown passes all of last season. In five games this season, the Lawndale, California product has 16 touchdown passes to just two interceptions and has thrown multiple touchdown passes in all five games. He threw for 445 yards last time out against Cincinnati, forming a dangerous duo with receiver Emmanuel Henderson, who had five catches for 214 yards and two touchdowns. Levi Wentz and tight end Boden Groen also caught touchdown passes against Cincinnati.
Daniels totaled 500 yards of total offense with 55 rushing yards paired with his 445 passing yards, marking the fourth-most total offense yards in a single game for Kansas and the most since 2022. Through five games, Daniels has the second most passing touchdowns in all of college football and has been one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the country this season with a 188.8 rating, ranking first in the Big 12 Conference and fifth nationally.
UCF (3-1, 0-1 Big 12) is under first year head coach Scott Frost, who is in his second stint with the Knights. UCF is coming off its first defeat of the season at the hands to Kansas State on Sept. 27, 34-20. UCF quarterback Tayven Jackson has completed 66-of-101 passing this season for 809 yards and three touchdowns, while running back Jaden Nixon leads the team with four rushing touchdowns and one kick return touchdown. Saturday’s game vs. Kansas serves as UCF’s Big 12 home opener.
The Knights opened the season with three straight wins, notching victories over Jacksonville State, North Carolina A&T and North Carolina. The UCF defense will be a formidable challenge for Daniels as the Knights pass defense currently ranks sixth in the country and first in the Big 12, allowing just 129.8 yards per game through the air. Overall, UCF is allowing just 15 points per game, which ranks 21st in the country.