This Saturday, TCU (2-2, 0-1 Big 12) will face off against Kansas (1-3, 0-1) in a highly anticipated college football game set to kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET, with the game available for viewing on ESPN+. The BetMGM College Football Odds currently favor Kansas by 1 1/2 points, and historically, TCU leads the series with a record of 26-9-4 against Kansas.
Both teams meet with a sense of urgency as they look to turn their seasons around after facing unexpected challenges. TCU suffered a narrow one-point loss to UCF followed by a disappointing 66-42 defeat to SMU, while Kansas faced defeats against Illinois, UNLV, and West Virginia by a total of 13 points. Notably, the Jayhawks played their initial home games at Children’s Mercy Park due to their stadium undergoing renovations, but they will now host their Big 12 games at Arrowhead Stadium, starting with their match against TCU.
A key matchup to watch out for is between Kansas’ running back, Devin Neal, and TCU’s run defense, which struggled against SMU, allowing significant yardage on the ground. Neal has been a standout performer for Kansas, accumulating 443 yards rushing with an impressive average of 6.2 yards per carry and three touchdowns this season.
In terms of players to keep an eye on, TCU’s wide receiver Jack Bech showcased his skills in the previous game against SMU, securing eight receptions for 166 yards and two touchdowns. He was supported by Eric McAlister, who also had a strong performance with six catches for 114 yards and a touchdown. On the Kansas side, quarterback Jalon Daniels has faced challenges this season, particularly in decision-making and turnovers, despite throwing for 626 yards and four touchdowns.
Historically, TCU has dominated the series against Kansas, winning five straight and 10 of the last 11 matchups. The Jayhawks’ lone victory in recent years was a 27-26 win in 2018. Additionally, interesting facts include TCU quarterback Josh Hoover’s impressive record of eight 300-yard passing games in just 10 career starts and Jack Bech’s three 100-yard receiving games this season. For Kansas, wide receivers Lawrence Arnold and Luke Grimm both surpassed 2,000 career receiving yards last week, while running back Devin Neal has reached the 100-yard rushing mark in seven of his last eight games.