LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas Football was ranked No. 22 in the Associated Press (AP) Preseason Poll, the organization announced on Monday, marking Kansas’ first preseason appearance in the poll since 2009.
With Kansas being ranked No. 22 by the AP and No. 24 by the US LBM Coaches Poll, the Jayhawks are ranked in both major college football preseason polls for the first time since 2008. The Jayhawks were ranked No. 14 in the AP Preseason Poll and No. 13 in the Coaches Poll prior to the 2008 season. Kansas’ appearance in the AP Preseason Poll marks the seventh appearance in the preseason poll all-time, including the first in 15 years.
The preseason rankings come after Kansas finished the 2024 season at 9-4 in 2023, culminating in a 49-36 victory over UNLV in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl on Dec. 26, 2023. The bowl victory was Kansas' first since 2008 and Kansas' first nine-win season since 2007.
Kansas was recently picked fourth in the Big 12 Preseason Poll on July 2, which was Kansas' highest preseason ranking since the Big 12 went to a non-divisional format in 2011. The Jayhawks have been recognized on numerous preseason watch lists, including Lawrence Arnold (Biletnikoff), Jalon Daniels (Davey O’Brien, Walter Camp, Maxwell), Devin Neal (Doak Walker, Maxwell), Luke Hosford (Mannelly), Cobee Bryant (Bednarik, Nagurski, Thorpe) and Jared Casey (Wuerffel).