Tag: kansas jayhawks

Trio of Big 12 teams in USA TODAY Sports’ college football top 25

Three Big 12 teams were ranked inside the top 25 in USA TODAY Sports’ re-ranking of every college football FCS team.

Before the season kicks off this weekend, it is always fun to take a look at all the various rankings throughout the publications. It is fun to follow how well the publications have done, what teams they got right, and the teams that were projected way wrong.

One of the latest polls was done by USA TODAY Sports.  Paul Myerberg did a complete re-ranking of all 134 teams. The Big 12 placed three teams in the top 25, but none of them were in the top 12.

The Utah Utes were No. 13 in the rankings, top in the Big 12. Utah went 8-5 last season, the highest ranked eight win team from last year. They were just ahead of the Kansas State Wildcats, who came in at No. 15 in the rankings. Rounding out the Big 12 teams in the top 25 was Kansas at No. 24.

The media darlings from a season ago, the Colorado Buffaloes, settled in at No. 89, just ahead of the Cincinnati Bearcats who came in at No. 90.

Kansas announces starting quarterback for 2024 opener

Kansas names Jalon Daniels the starting quarterback for the 2024 college football season.

Kansas head coach Lance Leipold announced Tuesday following practice that Jalon Daniels would be the Week 1 starter at quarterback. Daniels has been injury-prone throughout his career with the Jayhawks. Last season he had a back injury, which limited him to just three games. In 2022, he missed half of the season with a shoulder injury.

Daniels has thrown for 2,729 yards and 23 touchdowns over 12 career games for the Jayhawks. He is excited to get back on the field and lead a talented Jayhawks squad:

I mean, it’s definitely exciting. My last game actually being able to play was against BYU,” Daniels said, referring to a win over the Cougars on Sept. 23, 2023. “So I feel like, you know, I’m just going to take advantage of the opportunity that’s given.

His coach was obviously very excited to be able to place him in the lineup. He will have Lawrence Arnold, Luke Grimm, Quentin Skinner, and Trevor Wilson back as receivers. Devin Neal and Daniel Hishaw also return to the lineup.

Jason Bean was the starter for much of last season and is now with the Indianapolis Colts. Leipold was asked about Daniels and had this to say:

He will start the opener. I’ve seen a lot of good things from Jalon Daniels in the last 10 days, and he hasn’t missed anything. He’s played well and he’s confident and he’s excited. His enthusiasm is contagious. And we all know that it’s important for him to stay healthy, but it’s good to see.

The Jayhawks start the Big 12 season on September 21st on the road at West Virginia.

Big 12 lands five on Associated Press Top 25 poll

Five teams from the Big 12 conference were among the top 25 teams in the first AP poll of the college football season.

With just under two weeks to go until the start of the College Football season, the Associated Press Top 25 poll was released. There are five teams from the Big 12 in the poll. Let’s take a look at each of them:

12. Utah Utes

The Utes are the conference favorites. They are going to see some new places this season as members of the Big 12. Utah is used to winning ways, as Kyle Whittingham is entering his 20th season as the head man in Salt Lake City. Utah starts the season with Southern Utah on August 29th. Their first big test is September 21st on the road at Oklahoma State.

17. Oklahoma State Cowboys

The Cowboys are led by Mike Gundy, another guy in his 20th season as the head coach. The Big 12 media poll had the Cowboys just below Kansas State, but the Associated Press poll has the Cowboys ahead of the Wildcats.  Regardless, the end of September will be challenging with games against Utah and Kansas State. But, the Cowboys cannot overlook South Dakota State to open the season.

18. Kansas State Wildcats

Chris Klieman saw three guys get drafted into the NFL following their 9-4 season a year ago. The Wildcats won their bowl game as well. Now, they will look to make the next step and get back to the conference title game. Kansas State starts their season on August 31st at home against UT Martin.

21. Arizona Wildcats

Brett Brennan is starting his first season with the Wildcats.  Arizona went 10-3 a season ago, and 7-2 in their final season in the Pac-12. The Wildcats beat up Oklahoma in the Alamo Bowl and finished 11th in the final Associated Press poll. That was their best finish since 1998. Arizona was picked fifth in the preseason poll, just behind Kansas. The Wildcats open on August 31st against New Mexico.

22. Kansas Jayhawks

The Jayhawks got some national love, coming in at 22 in the poll. Lance Leipold is entering his fourth year as the head coach. Arrowhead Stadium will be the home for the Jayhawks as Memorial Stadium is under renovation this season. Kansas lost some coaches on the staff, but they bring back a ton of talent. Jason Bean, who was the quarterback a season ago, will also not return.  Kansas gets Lindenwood in Week 1, and a road trip to Illinois in Week 2.

Iowa State, West Virginia, and Colorado got votes in the poll but did not make the Top 25. To get a look at the entire Associated Press Top 25 poll, take a look here.

Keep in mind, that the US LBM Coaches Poll has also been released. So these can be used in comparison to see the differences between the two.

Kansas adds 20 point per game scorer to already loaded backcourt

The Kansas Jayhawks landed another guard in the transfer portal in David Coit, who averaged over 20 points last year at Northern Illinois.

After last year’s NCAA Tournament exit in the Round of 32, Kansas coach Bill Self admitted he’d already turned his attention to next season.

Lack of depth, specifically in the backcourt, was a key issue for the Jayhawks in 2023-24, with freshman Elmarko Jackson and transfer Nick Timberlake failing to find consistency throughout the campaign.

That won’t be an issue this upcoming year, even with Timberlake graduating and Jackson out for the year with a knee injury.

Self and the Jayhawks prioritized adding marquee talent around point guard Dajuan Harris and big men Hunter Dickinson and KJ Adams, bringing in Wisconsin wing AJ Storr, South Dakota State’s Zeke Mayo, Rylan Griffen from Alabama, and Shakeel Moore from Mississippi State.

Then, as if that wasn’t enough, Kansas landed another guard transfer on Friday in David Coit. Coit is a 5’11 guard from Northern Illinois who averaged 20.8 points, 3.4 assists, and 3.2 rebounds per game last year. He shot 33.7% from three on a whopping 9.6 attempts per game.

Coit was available after having a waiver approved by the NCAA, giving him another year of eligibility. He began his career playing at the JuCo level before spending the past two seasons in the MAC at Northern Illinois.

“Kansas was the best situation for me,” Coit said. “Coach Self trust in me, and trust in my ability to come in, play make and score. He was honest with me from the start. He recruited me months ago before the summer. He was always transparent about what he was looking for and his coaching staff was the same way. It was a great situation for me.”

How coach Self divides up playing time between Harris, Storr, Mayo, Griffen, Moore, Coit, and returning sophomore Jamari McDowell remains to be seen, but at the very least it’s a different problem than the one the team faced last season.

Nets F Jalen Wilson on community support for Chiefs, Jayhawks

In a recent interview with Ed Easton Jr., Brooklyn Nets standout Jalen Wilson shared his thoughts on the #Chiefs and Jayhawks fanbases. | @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs fan base is part of a larger community contingent that supports the area’s best talent. Chiefs Kingdom and fans of the University of Kansas share a similar bond when rooting for their championship-winning clubs.

Chiefs Wire’s Ed Easton Jr. spoke to former Kansas Jayhawk and current Brooklyn Nets standout Jalen Wilson about his new business partnership with Barcode, Summer League performance, and thoughts on the Chiefs and Jayhawks fanbases.

“I was super excited to understand the background of everything, and once we got going, it was fun to be a part of something like that that you want to enjoy in the city,” Wilson said of his new deal with Barcode. “It’s just something that’s been part of my journey as far as playing basketball, Who doesn’t want to drink [something] that is to enhance me and help me play my game?”

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Wilson is entering his second NBA season and recently earned NBA 2K25 Summer League MVP honors for his elite performance in the offseason tournament. He averaged 21.8 points and 4.6 rebounds over a five-game span for the Brooklyn Nets.

“It was a blessing and an opportunity that I was given,” Wilson explained of his Summer League performance. “I think any athlete in any sport just wants an opportunity to play and showcase what they can do. I was very thankful for the moment and [I] just was able to put in all the hard work in the summer leading up to Summer League when it was time to play finally just came naturally because of all the hard work, so just putting in the work before everything is always important because it’s hard to replicate game reps. So, as much as you can get in the gym, repetition is important. That’s what I was able to do.”

Wilson won a National Championship and a Conference Player of the Year award during his four years at the University of Kansas. Later in his interview with Easton, Wilson described the unparalleled support from the community throughout his career in Lawrence and explained the parallels he sees in Chiefs Kingdom’s support of Kansas City’s players.

“I think it was just really cool for Kansas to have something to lean on, and basketball and football… there’s no NBA team, so it was really important for us to go out, and that was one thing Coach (Bill Self) always instilled in us as representing the name across the jersey,” said Wilson. “There are so many passionate people in Kansas who go out and support us. It doesn’t matter who we’re playing. They all come out and show their support for us, which was always cool to represent.”

Both teams’ fanbases have shown plenty of support over the years, and each team has won championships.

“I know the Chiefs felt the same way; their football field (Arrowhead Stadium) is probably known as one of the hardest places to play, and that’s due to the fans coming in,” Wilson continued. “[It doesn’t] matter if it’s negative 10 degrees out there, a lot of degrees like they’re showing up. They’re showing out every single time, which is just a testament to the people we have supporting.”

Check out the website for more information on Jalen and Brooklyn Nets’ partnership with Barcode.

Former Jayhawk Jalen Wilson invited parade shooting victim to Kansas basketball game

In an interview with Ed Easton Jr., Brooklyn Nets forward Jalen Wilson recalled inviting a #Chiefs parade shooting victim to a #Jayhawks game. | @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs are months removed from the tragic events of their Super Bowl LVIII victory parade in February. Since that dreadful day, there have been more stories of triumph and perseverance from those who were affected.

Chiefs Wire’s Ed Easton Jr. spoke to former Kansas Jayhawks and current Brooklyn Nets forward Jalen Wilson on behalf of Barcode about his goals for his second NBA season and his reflections on inviting a young Chiefs parade shooting victim to a Kansas Jayhawks basketball game earlier this year.

“I just want to go into the season… I want to put in even more work, understand that no job is ever finished, and achieve the goals I have,” said Wilson. “It starts, of course, with training camp and leaving a season; two is going for that not leaving anything behind is working and understanding that every day is just an opportunity to get better.”

Wilson’s determination is only matched by his heart and desire to help others. He spoke about reaching out to ten-year-old Samuel Arellano, one of the more than two dozen victims injured in the shooting at the Super Bowl celebrations, to invite him to a Kansas Jayhawks basketball game.

“That was a moment that was really important to me,” Wilson explained. “I was so thankful that my mom could find that. She was following on Twitter (X) and saw so many victims being impacted by this. It’s an unfortunate situation. We ran across a beautiful family going through the same type of problem, and I think we both have the same idea and want to come together. If we can just give them (at least) one percent of happiness, try to fill any void you have from that situation. We’re going to try our best, which was very important.”

Wilson couldn’t be with Arellano during that night but sent a touching video message that was played at Allen Fieldhouse during the game.

“I feel like Kansas does a great job, and it speaks of embracing people whenever they are in an unfortunate situation,” said Wilson. “We were able to accomplish that, and we signed the jersey for the family. It was a really cool moment to help someone and understand that you can bring peace of joy.”

Founded by Mubarak “Bar” Malik and Kyle Kuzma, Barcode is the first premium, natural performance and hydration drink on the market. As the proud fitness water of the Brooklyn Nets, Barcode is plant-based with added benefits and ingredients, including Vitamin D, B6, B12, and Magnesium. It offers a functional alternative to sugar-packed sports drinks and is perfectly designed to optimize overall health.

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Check out the website for more information on Jalen and Brooklyn Nets’ partnership with Barcode.

Duke basketball will play Arizona and Kansas in a five-day span this November

With the Duke basketball game against Arizona moving back a day, the week before Thanksgiving now gets crowded for the Blue Devils.

[autotag]Cooper Flagg[/autotag] and his Duke basketball teammates won’t get much rest the week before Thanksgiving this fall.

With the Monday news that the Blue Devils will now play Arizona on November 22, Duke now plays the Wildcats and the Kansas Jayhawks within a five-day span.

They’ll travel out west for a road battle with Caleb Love after Arizona came to Durham last year. They’ll then head to Las Vegas to play the Jayhawks for the 2024 Vegas Showdown on November 26.

The November gauntlet becomes part of a loaded non-conference schedule for head coach Jon Scheyer’s squad. Flagg and his teammates play Kentucky, Auburn, and George Mason before the end of the calendar year.

There’s also a looming Madison Square Garden matchup with Illinois that could potentially come in February.

Duke volleyball releases its 2024 season schedule

The Blue Devils released their 2024 volleyball schedule with early non-conference schedules against Kansas, LSU, and Michigan.

The Duke Blue Devils released their 2024 volleyball schedule on Tuesday.

The team will play an exhibition against North Carolina Central on August 21 before its 31-match regular-season schedule. The Blue Devils host Kansas (August 31), LSU (September 5), and Michigan (September 21) for notable non-conference battles early on.

The schedule consists of 18 home matches and 20 conference battles, and Duke plays all three new members of the conference at some point in 2024. The Blue Devils travel to SMU on November 8 before hosting California and Stanford for back-to-back contests on November 22 and 24.

The home opener takes place on August 30 against Colgate, and the ACC opener comes at home against Boston College on September 27.

The Blue Devils play North Carolina in back-to-back matches early on in October, hosting the Tar Heels on October 2 before playing in Chapel Hill on October 4.

The Blue Devils finished the 2023 season with a 19-10 record, most notably a ranked win over Creighton in August, and a 10-8 mark against ACC opponents.

CBS Sports puts Duke below UNC, nearly out of top 10 in preseason basketball rankings

Despite the top-ranked recruiting class and presumed No. 1 pick in the country headed to Durham, CBS Sports has more faith in…UNC?

CBS Sports released an updated ranking for the 2024-25 college basketball season on Monday, and the Blue Devils continue dropping farther from the top.

After opening the betting cycle as the favorite to win the 2025 national championship, CBS Sports writer Gary Parrish had Duke all the way down in ninth.

Despite welcoming Cooper Flagg, the presumed No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft, and five other top-40 freshmen, Parrish said he can’t get over how much production Duke lost this offseason.

To add insult to injury, Parrish had the North Carolina Tar Heels all the way up in fourth despite them losing Armando Bacot, Harrison Ingram, and Cormac Ryan to the NBA. All-American RJ Davis and promising young guard Elliot Cadeau both come back to campus, but the Tar Heels lost three of their top five scorers while Duke lost four of its top six.

The Kansas Jayhawks, Alabama Crimson Tide, and Houston Cougars took the top three spots in order.

Parrish even had the Tar Heels above two-time defending champion Connecticut, who slotted in fifth.

EA’s College Football 25 offensive ranks are out, featuring top 10 Colorado and top 15 Kansas

Georgia holds the top spot, but will Oregon really be elite after some significant losses in 2024?

EA College Football 25 knows it has fans where it wants them. There isn’t a drop of American football in this summertime gridiron desert. So the beloved video game franchise, back for the first time since 2014, is leaving behind tiny oases for us to replenish ourselves on the long journey toward the 2024 season.

Earlier in the week, that meant arguing over whether Camp Randall Stadium was really a tougher place to play than Autzen Stadium. Now, it means considering whether those Oregon Ducks, without Bo Nix or Troy Franklin or Bucky Irving, are actually the second-best offense in college football.

Rankings week brought this year’s virtual offensive pecking order to light. While most of this list is the usual suspects — Carson Beck and the Georgia Bulldogs are first overall, while Jalen Milroe’s Alabama Crimson Tide rank third — there are a few surprises. EA is on board with Coach Prime, because Deion Sanders’ Colorado Buffaloes nabbed a top-10 spot. The company is also on board with the roster builder Coach Prime wants to be, as Lance Leipold’s Kansas Jayhawks clock in at 14th.

Here’s the top 25, courtesy of EA.

  1. Georgia: 94 OVR
  2. Oregon: 94
  3. Alabama: 91
  4. Texas: 91
  5. Ohio State: 89
  6. LSU: 89
  7. Miami: 89
  8. Colorado: 89
  9. Missouri: 89
  10. Clemson: 87
  11. Utah: 87
  12. Penn State: 87
  13. Ole Miss: 87
  14. Kansas: 87
  15. Arizona: 87
  16. NC State: 87
  17. Notre Dame: 85
  18. Texas A&M: 85
  19. Memphis: 85
  20. SMU: 85
  21. UCF: 85
  22. Florida State: 83
  23. Oklahoma: 83
  24. Virginia Tech: 83
  25. USC: 83