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Christopher Boan is a lead writer at BetKansas.com specializing in covering state issues. He covered sports and sports betting in Arizona for more than seven years.
Will Kansas Jayhawks Football Soar This Season?
Year Four of the Lance Leipold era in Lawrence kicked off with a wire-to-wire laugher of a win over regional FCS program Lindenwood University on Thursday, with the Kansas Jayhawks rolling up their opponents from St. Charles, 48-3.
The game, which was held at Kansas City’s Children’s Mercy Park (as KU’s home stadium is being renovated this fall), saw QB Jalon Daniels throw for 148 yards and a touchdown, while running back Devin Neal added 112 yards and two scores on the ground for the No. 22 ranked Jayhawks.
Ahead of KU’s Week 2 road game in Champaign-Urbana against the Illinois Fighting Illini, we wanted to know how the Jayhawks have done in recent years after starting the season with a victory, compared to those where they lost their opening contest.
At BetKansas.com, we wanted to see how the rest of their season will play out, based on data from the past five full seasons (excluded 2020). Using Sports-Reference.com, we found the results of each first game of all of the current Big 12 teams from the past five full seasons and each team’s final win-loss record for the season. Then, we averaged out the win-loss percentage for all teams who won the first game, and for teams that lost the first game. We also pulled Kansas’ records following the same methodology.
Use this research before you visit Kansas betting apps ahead of Week 2 across college football.
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Big 12 Final Results After Game 1
Result | Average Win-Loss % |
Win | .559 |
Loss | .436 |
Kansas Jayhawks Final Results After Game 1
Result | Average Win-Loss % |
Win | .393 |
Loss | .250 |
Can KU Keep Momentum Alive?
In a season where KU entered play with a win total over/under of 8.5 (per BetMGM Kansas), there are preseason hopes not seen in Lawrence since the days of Mark Mangino, as the Jayhawks have a legit shot at capturing their first Big 12 title since 1968.
That hype train is still on the tracks after Thursday’s 45-point win over Lindenwood, though we’ll know a lot more about KU’s chances after they play the Illini on the road next weekend, in a season where bowl game expectations run high in Lawrence.
For now, KU is looking to one-up the team’s five-year win percentage of .393 in seasons where they won their season opener, which shouldn’t be hard for a team that’s expected to be one of the best teams in the nation this fall.
That road continues against Illinois a week from now, with KU seeking to reach new heights on the gridirons of America under Leipold’s watch, on the heels of the school’s best two-year stretch (15-11) since going 13-12 between 2007 and 2008.
USA Today photo by Evert Nelson.
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