Where Kansas Football Ranks in ESPN FPI After Arizona Loss

The Kansas football team fell back to .500 after losing to Arizona 24-21 in heartbreaking fashion on Saturday.

Lance Leipold's group dropped its fourth game in the past six and is in serious danger of missing bowl eligibility for the second year in a row.

As the Jayhawks gear up for their final road game of the season against Iowa State, there is a lot of pressure on Leipold and Co. to somewhat salvage the 2025 campaign.

But unsurprisingly, in ESPN's updated edition of the Football Power Index (FPI) rankings, the Jayhawks continue to sit toward the bottom of the conference.

Big 12 Football: Latest ESPN FPI Rankings

1. Utah (19.8)
2. Texas Tech (19.1)
3. BYU (15.1)
4. TCU (9.6)
5. Cincinnati (8.7)
6. Iowa State (8.4)
7. Kansas State (8.2)
8. Arizona State (7.3)
9. Arizona (7.2)
10. Baylor (6.4)
11. Kansas (5.5)
12. Houston (3.3)
13. UCF (3.0)
14. Colorado (-1.2)
15. West Virginia (-2.3)
16. Oklahoma State (-14.4)

Number indicates Football Power Index score.

The team sits at No. 11 in the Big 12, and all three of its conference wins have come against teams in the bottom four of the rankings.

Despite close losses to better schools like Cincinnati and Arizona, the Jayhawks have struggled in late-game situations and have yet to secure a marquee victory. KU was once highly rated in the FPI, peaking as high as No. 25 nationally, but they now sit at No. 49 overall and in the bottom half of the conference.

Nov 8, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Kansas Jayhawks running back Leshon Williams (4) against the Arizona Wildcats in the second half at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Even with a win against Iowa State or Utah, that ranking likely won't change much once the year comes to a close. KU simply does not have an impressive resume at this point, and it is now officially eliminated from conference championship contention.

Last year, the Jayhawks managed to string together three consecutive AP Top 25 victories, but they have looked overmatched against the top schools in the Big 12.

MORE: Lance Leipold Costs Kansas Football Again With Inexplicable Late-Game Call

Texas Tech and Kansas State defeated them by a combined 50 points in the two previous weeks before the win over Oklahoma State and Saturday's defeat.

As the season comes to a close, this has been yet another disappointing year in Lawrence, which will undoubtedly lead to questions about Leipold's long-term job security. However, the hope is that KU can at least secure bowl eligibility with a win in the next two weeks to have a postseason game to play for.