LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Kansas Jayhawks will face a ranked opponent for a fourth-straight game this Saturday when they welcome the 16th-ranked Colorado Buffaloes to GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium for a Senior Day matchup on FOX with Jason Benetti, Brock Huard and Allison Williams on the call. Kickoff is slated for 2:30 p.m. CT.
The Jayhawks topped No. 7 BYU on Saturday night in Provo to notch their second win over a ranked opponent in as many weeks for the first time in program history. The week prior, Kansas beat No. 17 Iowa State 45-36. Kansas now sits at 4-6 on the season and 3-4 in Big 12 Conference play after the two wins.
Coach Lance Leipold and Kansas will look to make it three wins over ranked opponents in three straight weeks when they face the Buffaloes on Saturday. Colorado comes to Kansas City at 8-2 on the year and 6-1 in the conference. The Buffaloes, under second-year coach Deion Sanders, have won four-straight games all by double digits and have climbed up the national rankings to No. 16 with their recent stretch.
Quarterback Shedeur Sanders has thrown for 3,222 yards and 27 touchdowns so far this season. He's second in the country with his 27 touchdown passes and is sixth nationally with his 3,222 yards. The 2023 Pac-12 Newcomer of the Year has also rushed for four touchdowns and leads an offense that is third in the Big 12, averaging 34.1 points per game.
The Buffaloes also boast two-way standout and Heisman Trophy candidate Travis Hunter. Hunter, who plays wide receiver and cornerback, has 74 catches for 911 yards and nine touchdowns on offense. The nine touchdowns lead the Big 12 and the 7.4 receptions are second. Defensively, he's added 24 tackles, eight pass breakups, three interceptions and one tackle-for-loss.
The Jayhawk defense will look to be up to the task after a dominating performance against BYU last week. Kansas allowed 13 points in the 17-13 win, marking the team's fewest points allowed to a ranked opponent since surrendering 11 points to No. 2 Oklahoma in 1984. Senior cornerback Mello Dotson notched his fifth interception of the season in the win, which leads the Big 12 Conference and Kansas totaled five tackles-for-loss and a pair of sacks.
Dotson will be one of 30-plus seniors honored before the game for their contributions to the program. The senior class has led Kanas to back-to-back bowl games and wins over ranked opponents for three straight seasons. The headliner of the group may be running back Devin Neal. In his most recent home game against Iowa State, Neal became the school's all-time leading rusher and has since topped the 4,000-yard mark for his career. The Lawrence native is 74 yards away from his third-straight 1,000-yard season and has totaled 28 rushing touchdowns over the last two seasons.
Saturday's game will mark KU's final game this season at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Kansas has won two straight at the venue, beating Houston before the win over Iowa State. The Jayhawks played their six home games in Kansas City this year, both at Arrowhead and Children's Mercy Park, while David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium undergoes major upgrades.