Joey McGuire on the Kansas Jayhawks: ‘They Should Be 6-0'

Last year, the Kansas football season had too many what-ifs. Five of the Jayhawks' seven losses came in games they led at some point in the fourth quarter but were unable to close out.

That narrative has somewhat held true in 2025, as both of KU's defeats came in very winnable games against Missouri and Cincinnati.

When Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire came to speak about his upcoming opponent this week on SiriusXM College Sports Radio, he acknowledged that both of KU's losses were very preventable and even went on to say that Lance Leipold and Co. should be undefeated.

"This game is huge. If you look at Kansas, they should be 6-0. Easily could be 6-0. They were dominating Missouri at Missouri," McGuire said. "They’re an excellent football team, a physical team."

"Their quarterback is a good football player. They’ve got some running backs, and receivers are explosive, and then defensively, I think they can pressure the quarterback. And then the other thing they’re not doing is not turning the ball over."

Most Jayhawk fans would agree with McGuire's sentiment knowing just how bad the team has been in tight contests lately.

Kansas led by as many as 15 points in the first half against Missouri before a costly safety and a few defensive lapses let the Tigers back in it.

Even then, the Jayhawks scored a go-ahead touchdown with 8:45 left in the fourth quarter and had a chance to reclaim the lead again in the final minutes before Leipold questionably decided to punt the ball back to MU.

Against Cincinnati, quarterback Jalon Daniels threw for a magnificent 445 yards and four touchdowns, only to have his outing spoiled by the Jayhawks' defense.

Sep 6, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Kansas Jayhawks quarterback Jalon Daniels (6) rolls out to pass during the second half against the Missouri Tigers at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Daniels connected with Levi Wentz for a go-ahead touchdown with 1:45 remaining, yet KU surrendered a game-winning score with 29 seconds left. The Jayhawks had multiple chances to put the game away — including a fourth-down stop opportunity and a near interception — but could not pull it out.

McGuire's comments go to show how much he respects his opponent. On the contrary, the Red Raiders haven't had to worry about any late-game situations yet, considering they have dominated everyone on their schedule.

They won all of their nonconference games by 31 points or more and took down previously undefeated Utah and Houston squads by multiple possessions on the road.

Texas Tech is now ranked No. 9 nationally and is the frontrunner to represent the Big 12 in the College Football Playoff.

As the Jayhawks head to Lubbock, they know this will be the toughest test they face all season and that they will need to be nearly perfect all night to have a chance at pulling off an upset. Similar late-game mistakes to those made against Missouri and Cincinnati simply won't work against a team of TTU's caliber.

Fans can tune into the contest on Saturday, Oct. 11, at 6:30 p.m. CT on FOX.