Is a Bowl Appearance Enough to Salvage Lance Leipold’s Job at Kansas in 2026?

Over the past two seasons in which the Kansas football program has failed to reach bowl eligibility, there has been no shortage of fans calling for head coach Lance Leipold's job. Although he took KU out of the depths of embarrassment, things have trended downhill since the Jayhawks finished 9-4 in 2023.

With a new quarterback battle underway and uncertainty surrounding both sides of the ball, there is very little optimism about this year's squad among the Jayhawk faithful. KU is projected in the bottom half of the conference in most preseason Big 12 rankings, and it doesn't help that the team plays a grueling schedule through the first few weeks of the campaign.

All of this begs the question: what exactly does Leipold need to accomplish to save his job after this season? More importantly, could a third consecutive year without bowl eligibility finally be the writing on the wall for the former Buffalo head coach in this make or break season?

How Can Lance Leipold Save His Job in 2026?

While countless fans have put Leipold on the theoretical hot seat over the past two years, there's been little credibility to the idea that his job is actually in danger. Athletic Director Travis Goff has done nothing but express confidence in Leipold and the way he runs the program.

However, there are some games that could play a major role in determining Leipold's future, particularly the rivalry matchups against Missouri and K-State.

An upset over Mizzou in Week 2's edition of the Border Showdown would quickly help Leipold win the fanbase back over and add another layer of job security. Additionally, he and his group have come so close yet so far in certain games against K-State in the Sunflower Showdown, making this year's matchup just as important as past years.

It's also important for KU to be level-headed and remember where the program was before Leipold arrived. Even if they aren't getting the results they wanted lately, there have been significant shifts in the program's culture and respect, not to mention the improved facilities and recruiting tactics the coaching staff uses to bring players to Lawrence.

That doesn't change the fact that Leipold's in-game coaching decisions have cost the Jayhawks many, many times. The past two years featured an unfathomable number of blown leads and questionable fourth-down decisions that were usually too passive.

Nobody can disagree that Leipold has done great things for the program and should be appreciated dearly in Lawrence. Still, one has to wonder whether his job should be safe simply because he completed a culture shift, rather than consistently producing results on the field.

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