GAME PREVIEW: vs. West Virginia
LAWRENCE, Kan. — On Saturday, the Kansas Jayhawks return to David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium to host the West Virginia Mountaineers in their first Big 12 Conference game of the season, with kickoff slated for 3:30 p.m., in Lawrence. The game will air on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.
The Jayhawks are coming off a convincing 48-24 victory over the Boston College Eagles at Alumni Stadium, where Kansas exploded for 567 yards of total offense and five touchdowns, after falling behind 10-0 to begin the game. The Jayhawks responded with a 27-0 run to close out the game, giving KU its first road victory over a Power-5 opponent since 2008.
Saturday’s game against West Virginia is the eighth in the series history, with West Virginia holding the series advantage, 7-1. The game also marks the second Big 12 opener between the two programs, with the last opener coming in 2017.
Ahead of Saturday’s matchup between the Mountaineers and Jayhawks, head coach Les Miles met with the media.
GAME INFORMATION:
West Virginia Mountaineers (2-1, 0-0 Big 12) at Kansas Jayhawks (2-1, 0-0 Big 12)
Date/Time: Saturday, Sept. 21 at 3:30 p.m. CT
Where: David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium
Watch: Big 12 Now on ESPN+ (Dave Lamont (PxP), Mike Golic Jr., (A), Lericia Harris (SL)
Listen: Jayhawk Radio Network
NOTES:
- Paired with Khalil Herbert, sophomore Pooka Williams Jr., broke the century mark on Friday for his fifth-career 100-yard game, as the duo combined for 308 rushing yards against Boston College. The duo’s performance was the first time two Jayhawks rushed for 100+ yards since 2014, when Tony Pierson (102) and Corey Avery (104) each surpassed the mark against Iowa State and the most since James Sims (202) and Tony Pierson (127) combined for 329 rushing yards against Texas Tech on Nov. 10, 2012.
- Following a down week against Coastal Carolina, senior quarterback Carter Stanley bounced back in the 48-24 breakout win over Boston College, where the senior completed 20-of-27 passing for 238 yards and three touchdowns. His three-touchdown outing was the third of his career, and his first in a winning effort, as he led the Jayhawks to their first road victory over a Power-5 opponent in their last 48 tries.
- The Kansas Jayhawks are coming off a dominating performance over the Boston College Eagles at Alumni Stadium, where the Jayhawks shocked the Eagles, 48-24. The victory was the first win on the road against a Power-5 opponent since 2008 (Oct. 4, 2008 vs. Iowa State), and the most points scored in a road win since 1996, when the Jayhawks defeated Oklahoma on the road, 52-24. Friday’s standout effort came behind five touchdowns and 567 yards of total offense, marking the second time with 5+ touchdowns on the road in the past 10 years. Kansas’ 567 yards of total offense was also the most since 2016, when KU tallied 570 yards against Rhode Island and the most on the road since gaining 576 yards of total offense at UTEP on September 12, 2009.
- The Kansas defense has proven to be strong in the trenches this season, holding opponents to just six scores in 12 trips to the red zone through the first three games, ranking at the top of the Big 12 Conference and tied for fourth in the FBS. The Jayhawks have held opponents to two rushing and three passing touchdowns in the red zone so far this season, while forcing one turnover. The Jayhawks are just one of nine BCS programs to hold their opponent to 50 percent or under scoring while in the red zone.
KANSAS NAMED FWAA REVEAL SUITS NATIONAL TEAM OF THE WEEK
Kansas football turned around an early 10-0 deficit, then dominated Boston College for a 48-24 road win, beating a Power-5 team on the road for the first time since 2008. With the win, the Jayhawks (2-1) earned the Reveal Suits National Team of the Week honor for games of the weekend of Sept. 14, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and its All-America committee.
SERIES HISTORY
vs. West Virginia 1-7
Current Streak: Loss 5
Longest Winless Streak: 5
Last 10 Games: 1-7
In Lawrence: 1-2
In Morgantown: 0-5
First Meeting: Nov. 8, 1941 (L, 0-21)
Last Meeting: Oct. 6, 2018 (L, 22-38)
CARTER STANLEY TABBED AS A MANNING AWARD STAR OF THE WEEK
Senior quarterback Carter Stanley was named one of eight Manning Award Stars of the Week, the AllState Sugar Bowl announced on Monday, after Stanley threw for 238 yards on 20-of-27 passing and three touchdowns, in Kansas’ dominating win over Boston College on Friday. Stanley joins seven other quarterbacks as Stars of the Week, in which college football fans can now go to the Allstate Sugar Bowl Facebook page to vote for what they think was the best performance from this past weekend. Voting closes on Thursday at 11 a.m. CT, with the top vote-getter being announced as the Manning Award Quarterback of the Week.
