Liberty Bowl: Kansas vs Arkansas Preview and Prediction
The Kansas Jayhawks (6-6) have had a memorable season earning their first bowl game appearance since 2008. They will have their work cut out for them with a matchup against SEC opponent Arkansas (6-6).
I can't imagine that many experts had the Jayhawks playing in a bowl game coming into the season. Kansas had an excellent start to the 2022 campaign with a 5-0 record. They put the college football world on notice and captured the hearts of fans everywhere. ESPN's College Gameday even came to Lawrence for the matchup against TCU. Unfortunately for Kansas, the Frogs put that magic to a halt winning 38-31.
Following that loss, Kansas started to slip and lost the next two games against Oklahoma and Baylor before beating Oklahoma State 37-16. They followed that up with three consecutive losses by a combined margin of 76 points.
Quarterback Jalon Daniels had a terrific start to the season before going down with an injury during the TCU game. He would miss the next four weeks before returning for the Texas game. It was Jason Bean that took over the Jayhawks offense. Kansas did a good job of running the football all season with running back Devin Neal accumulating over 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns this season. If they can establish the running game early, that can set them up nicely later in the game with rollouts and play action.
Arkansas came into the season ranked no. 19 in the nation. They opened up with a 31-24 win over Cincinnati. They ranked as high as no. 10 before a tough loss to Texas A&M. Like the Jayhawks, they fell into a late season collapse losing three of their last four games. Running back Raheim Sanders had a fantastic season running for 1,426 yards and 10 touchdowns. I expect a big game for wide receiver Matt Landers who has used his physicality all season long to win at the catch point.
Nov 25, 2022; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback KJ Jefferson (1) throws a pass against the Missouri Tigers during the game at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium.
Arkansas will play this game with a reduced roster as many players are preparing for the NFL draft or have already hit the transfer portal. Sanders said this game isn't the end to the season but a fresh start for the 2023 season. In preparation for this game many players got the attention from coaches that they may not have received throughout the season. It's an opportunity for the younger guys to show off their skillset.
However, with that being said I think Kansas will prevail. There is so much excitement surrounding this program and this is an opportunity to win a bowl game for the first time in 14 years. Most of their players will play and I expect this game to turn into a shootout. I predict Kansas will win this game 45-41. The game will start at 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
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