Can Kansas Football Rebound This Week in Oklahoma State Matchup?

Kansas football direly needs a bounce-back performance today against Oklahoma State to keep its rocky season afloat.

Oct 25, 2025; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks quarterback Jalon Daniels (6) looses the ball from a bad snap against the Kansas State Wildcats during the second half of the game at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Kansas and Oklahoma State are set to face off this afternoon at 3 p.m. CT on ESPN+. Neither school is feeling particularly great heading into the first matchup of November.

The 1-7 Cowboys have spiraled to rock bottom since firing Mike Gundy, almost to the point where it has become comical. Interim coach Doug Meacham is doing what he can with a depleted roster, but the Pokes continue to get dominated week in and week out.

Meanwhile, the Jayhawks are in the midst of a middling season despite being in a much better position than the Pokes. Coming off consecutive losses to Texas Tech and Kansas State and sitting at .500, it feels as though the program has taken a step backward from where it once was under Lance Leipold.

Kansas Football Absolutely Needs a Win Today

Oklahoma State hasn't come close to defeating a Big 12 opponent since it sort of took Baylor down to the final quarter back in September.

As 24.5-point underdogs heading into the contest, that isn't expected to change for OSU. However, it is a game that Kansas needs to make a statement in.

In front of the home crowd for homecoming at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, pressure will be mounting for Leipold and Athletic Director Travis Goff. There is already speculation that the crowd turnout will be quite poor this afternoon, and the football program doesn't need any more bad press after getting embarrassed in the Sunflower Showdown for the 17th year in a row.

Absolute domination is expected from the Jayhawks today. The Cowboys rank dead last in nearly every Big 12 offensive and defensive metric.

There is no reason why OSU should put up double digits in the scoring column today. The Jayhawks need to enter this game with the same fierce mindset they would for any opponent.

But at the end of the day, fans still won't be satisfied with a win today, whether the margin of victory is by 50 or three points. The damage has already been done, and there isn't much that this game can change in what has been a rocky season.

The only way for the Jayhawks to truly salvage the regular season is to pick up a road win at Arizona or Iowa State (ideally both) and then a win against a ranked Utah squad to close out Big 12 play before a bowl game.