Kansas football vs. Kansas State: Scouting report, prediction for Jayhawks’ Big 12 matchup

LAWRENCE — Kansas football can end a couple of droughts Saturday when it goes up against No. 24 Kansas State in another Big 12 Conference battle.

The Jayhawks (7-3, 4-3 in Big 12) have not beaten the Wildcats since Lance Leipold took over as the head coach at KU ahead of the 2021 season. Kansas has not topped Kansas State (7-3, 5-2 in Big 12) in more than a decade, either.

So, there’s more on the line this weekend than a Big 12 victory.

What’s on Leipold’s mind ahead of the game? What challenges will the Wildcats present? Ahead of the 6 p.m.-scheduled kickoff, which will be televised on FS1, take a look at this scouting report and prediction for the game:

It’ll be senior day for Kansas

Leipold has made sure to note this won’t be the last game for the players whose college careers are coming to an end. In fact, they actually have one more regular season game after this before the bowl game. But it will also be an opportunity to Leipold and company to highlight the effect each one has had on the program — whether they have spent their entire career at Kansas or just part of it.

When Leipold spoke this week on the latest edition of “Hawk Talk with Lance Leipold,” he mentioned how redshirt senior defensive lineman Devin Phillips is in just his first season with the Jayhawks. Leipold mentioned how both senior linebacker Rich Miller Jr. and redshirt senior offensive lineman Mike Novitsky transferred in from Buffalo when Leipold took over at Kansas. Leipold noted both senior tight end Mason Fairchild and senior safety Kenny Logan Jr. have spent their entire careers with the Jayhawks.

It’ll be an interesting day for Sean Snyder

Sean Snyder took on the role of special assistant to the head coach when he joined Kansas ahead of the 2023 season. Depending on the person, that kind of staff addition can be incredibly noteworthy for a program or it can fly under the radar.

But with Snyder, it grabbed a lot of people’s attention.

Snyder is the son of former Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder, and on top of that both played and coached as an assistant for the Wildcats.

Snyder described on “Hawk Talk with Lance Leipold” this week that when he was at Kansas State, there was no doubt how important the game was to the team and the fan base. When asked why this could be the year the Jayhawks break their losing streak, he highlighted how competitive Kansas’ players have been this season. He sees the opportunity to beat Kansas State as a next step for the Jayhawks as a program, much like the win this season against Oklahoma and win in 2021 against Texas.

Leipold said he hopes Snyder can be a part of his Kansas program for a long time.

Here’s what Lance Leipold thinks about Kansas State

Leipold praised how well-coached Kansas State is, and highlighted the depth and experience the Wildcats have on the offensive line. He said they have been highly productive at quarterback, with the weapons available to them. He is looking to be able to run the ball against Kansas State, create a big play on special teams and prevent the Wildcats from making big plays of their own.

Here’s what Andy Kotelnicki thinks about Kansas State

Andy Kotelnicki, Kansas’ offensive coordinator/associate head coach, highlighted the relentless, physical, tough and multiple nature of a Kansas State defense that’s been one of the best in the Big 12. He complemented how well the Wildcats can disguise their coverages, and also rush the passer in situations in which offenses tend to be predictable. He said they are similar in how they line up to both Oklahoma State and Iowa State.

Here’s what Brian Borland thinks about Kansas State

Brian Borland, Kansas’ defensive coordinator, described a Kansas State offense that has been one of the best in the Big 12 as one that will present a lot of challenges for the Jayhawks. The Wildcats, he said, are very experienced — just as Leipold pointed out. Borland also highlighted there have only been two teams that have kept Kansas State under 30 points all season long, and that the Wildcats lost both of those games.

Prediction: Kansas 27, Kansas State 23

There is some question of who Kansas will have at quarterback for the game. While it seems to be trending toward redshirt senior Jason Bean being healthy enough to give it a go, there is a chance freshman Cole Ballard is in there again. But there is a level of momentum the Jayhawks have this season that should propel them to a rivalry win.

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Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He is the National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas for 2022. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas football vs. Kansas State: Scouting report, prediction for game