Kansas – Over or under 3.5 wins?
Over the past decade, one thing which would be certain in the Big 12 was Kansas finishing bottom of the conference. It has been 12 years since the Jayhawks have finished the season with a winning record and 11 years since they were able to win more than three games.
In the 2010s, Kansas won a total of 21 games, a stretch which included an 0-12 season (2015), two 1-11 seasons (2012 and 2017), and two 2-10 seasons (2011 and 2016). The Jayhawks have hired Les Miles, hoping he can be the one to get over the hump and win more than three games.
2019 almost saw a fourth win of the season, but a brutal 12-7 loss at home to Coastal Carolina ruined any chances of finishing better than 3-9.
However, there was a positive from last season, as Kansas was able to secure a Big 12 victory against Texas Tech. It was just their third conference win since 2015.
In 2020, the non-conference schedule remains light as the Jayhawks will play host to New Hampshire and Boston College. The third game will come with a trip to Coastal Carolina, where Kansas will be looking for revenge after an embarrassing loss in 2019.
Assuming a win in those three games, getting a conference win for the third year in a row will be the difference between getting a fourth victory or not. Home games include Iowa State, Oklahoma State, Texas, and TCU.
A win on the road is more likely, traveling to Kansas State, West Virginia, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma. After beating the Red Raiders and playing the Mountaineers within five points last season, those games will be circled as winnable for Les Miles’ squad.
Expectations will continue to be low for a few years in Lawrence. For right now, Kansas needs to worry about getting over three wins in a season before ever dreaming of being semi-competitive in the Big 12.