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LAWRENCE, Kan. – Following its first loss of the season, Kansas (4-1, 1-1 Big 12) returns home to David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium to host UCF (3-2, 0-2 Big 12) on Saturday, Oct. 7 at 3 p.m. CT for the first-ever meeting between the two teams.
The game will air on FOX with Jason Benetti (Play-by-Play), Brock Huard (Analyst) and Allison Williams (Sideline) on the call.
Saturday’s contest against UCF also serves as the Ring of Honor induction ceremony for two Kansas football legends, Tony Sands and Nick Reid. The Kansas football Ring of Honor is the highest honor bestowed upon Kansas football letterwinners, as Sands and Reid become the 24th and 25th members to be inducted into the Ring of Honor. The Ring of Honor induction will take place during halftime of the UCF game on Saturday.
UCF is one of the four newest members to the Big 12 Conference, as the Jayhawks and Knights square off for the first time in program history. Both teams are coming off losses, as Kansas fell to No. 3 Texas, 40-14, on Sept. 30, while UCF has dropped back-to-back Big 12 games against Kansas State (Sept. 23, 31-44) and Baylor (Sept. 30, 35-36).
Kansas is 3-0 at home this season with wins against Missouri State (Sept. 1, 48-17), Illinois (Sept. 8, 34-23) and BYU (Sept. 23, 38-27). Since the start of the 2022 season, Kansas is 7-2 in its last nine home games. UCF makes its second trip to the State of Kansas over a span of three weeks.
Kansas is led by an offense that is averaging 442.4 yards of offense per game and 199 rushing yards per game. The Jayhawks were without quarterback Jalon Daniels in the loss at Texas, who was named the Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year. Kansas’ rushing attack of Devin Neal and Daniel Hishaw Jr. have combined for nine rushing touchdowns this season, while Hishaw has scored 10 touchdowns (9 rushing, 1 receiving) over his last nine games played.
Defensively, the Jayhawks have the ninth most tackles-for-loss nationally (41), bolstered by defensive ends Jereme Robinson and Austin Booker. The KU duo has combined for 8.5 sacks through five games this season, which is the third-most among teammates in the NCAA this season. Kansas defensive backs Mello Dotson and Cobee Bryant have held down the secondary for the Jayhawks with Dotson ranking fifth nationally in passes defended, paired with Bryant’s two interceptions this season.
UCF enters the weekend with the No. 1 offense in the Big 12 Conference, averaging 545.8 yards per game through the first five games. Quarterback John Rhys Plumlee has missed the last three games due to injury, as Timmy McClain has stepped in to complete 50-of-82 for 872 yards and seven touchdowns. UCF is coming off a 36-35 loss to Baylor, in which Baylor overcame a 29-point deficit to defeat the Knights in Orlando.
Following Saturday’s contest with UCF, the Jayhawks will be back on the road on Saturday, Oct. 14 when they travel to Stillwater, Oklahoma to take on the Oklahoma State Cowboys.
Kansas and Oklahoma State have faced off 73 times in series history, which dates back to 1923. The two teams have met in each season since 2010. Last season, the Jayhawks defeated OSU for the first time since 2007 with a 37-16 win over the then-No. 18 Cowboys at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. The victory was the sixth win of the season for Kansas and secured KU its first bowl berth since 2009.
This will mark KU’s first appearance on FS1 during the 2023 season and ninth overall during head coach Lance Leipold’s tenure. The Jayhawks were 2-2 in games televised on FS1 last season, including the victory over OSU in Lawrence.
The Jayhawks are 4-1 on the year and 1-1 in Big 12 play following a 40-14 defeat at No. 3 Texas on Saturday. Kansas started the season 4-0 for the second consecutive season and reached No. 24 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll prior to the setback.
Oklahoma State is 2-2 (0-1 Big 12) and coming off its open week as the Cowboys defeated Central Arkansas and Arizona State to open the season before falling to South Alabama and Iowa State. OSU hosts Kansas State on Friday, Oct. 6 prior the matchup with the Jayhawks.
Kansas returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 7 against Big 12 newcomer UCF. The Jayhawks host the Knights at 3 p.m. CT with the game televised on FOX. Fans interested in attending the Kansas vs. UCF game can purchase single-game tickets in advance to avoid lines on game day. To purchase tickets, and for more information, please click here.