🏈 Jayhawks Take on 17/19 Coastal Carolina in Non-Conference Showdown

LAWRENCE, Kan. — The Kansas Jayhawks will travel to Conway, South Carolina to take on No. 17/19 Coastal Carolina in a primetime matchup on ESPN2 on Friday night at 6:30 p.m. CT.

Both the Jayhawks and Chanticleers won their season openers last weekend with Kansas topping South Dakota 17-14 and Coastal Carolina getting the best of The Citadel 52-14.

The Jayhawks went 64 yards on 11 plays and scored a touchdown with 1:10 left to earn the victory against the Coyotes. This will be the third all-time matchup between Kansas and Coastal Carolina with the Chanticleers holding a 2-0 advantage, with wins in each of the past two seasons. Jason Benetti, Andre Ware and Paul Carcaterra will have the call on ESPN2.

QUICK HITS

The Kansas defense shined in its 2021 debut last weekend against South Dakota, allowing just 262 yards of total offense. The 262 yards allowed are the fewest given up by the Jayhawks in a game since holding Southeast Missouri State to 253 yards in the 2017 season opener.
The Jayhawks allowed just 98 passing yards against South Dakota. Dating back to last season, Kansas hasn’t allowed more than 117 passing yards in three straight games. The Jayhawks held Texas Tech to 117 yards in the season finale last year and held TCU to 106 yards the game before. Over the last three games, the Kansas pass defense has held opposing quarterbacks to just 321 yards, three touchdowns and a completion percentage of 48.
The 98 passing yards allowed were the fewest by a Kansas defense since giving up 49 to Rhode Island in the 2016 season opener. It’s the first time the Jayhawks have held an opponent to less than 100 yards passing since giving up 99 to Kansas State in the 2016 finale.
The Kansas defense also held the South Dakota offense to just 3-for-16 on third and fourth downs in the season opener.
Offensively, quarterback Jason Bean made his Kansas debut last week against South Dakota. Bean completed 17 of 26 passes for 163 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. He is the first Kansas quarterback to throw for multiple touchdowns and no interceptions in his debut since Todd Reesing in 2007.
Bean also rushed for 54 yards on 15 carries. The 54 yards are the most by a quarterback on the ground since Carter Stanley rushed for 65 yards on nine carries against Texas in 2019. Bean’s longest rush of the game against South Dakota was a 14-yard gain in the second quarter.
Junior tight end Mason Fairchild hauled in four catches for 58 yards against South Dakota State. Fairchild had 57 receiving yards in nine games last season. The 58 yards by Fairchild were the most by a Kansas tight end since Ben Johnson had 90 yards in the 2017 season opener against Southeast Missouri State.
Redshirt freshman receiver Lawrence Arnold had three catches for 33 yards and the first two touchdowns of his career in the season opener. He’s the first freshman to have two receiving touchdowns in the season opener since JaCorey Shepherd in 2011.
The 2021 roster features 12 new Division I transfers. Joining the Jayhawks are Buffalo transfers Trevor Wilson, Eddie Wilson, Rich Miller, Mike Novitsky, Michael Ford Jr., and Ronald McGee. In addition, Kansas added Jason Bean (North Texas), Cornell Wheeler (Michigan), Kevin Terry (Texas Tech), Colin Grunhard (Notre Dame), Jeremy Webb (Missouri State) and Zion DeBose (Virginia Tech).
The Jayhawks return three players who earned honorable mention All-Big 12 honors last year in defensive end Kyron Johnson, safety/kick returner Kenny Logan Jr., and wide receiver Kwamie Lassiter II. Logan was also named to the Hornung Award Watch List this preseason, given to the most versatile player in college football.

Up Next

Kansas will return home for its first conference game of the 2021 season, when the Jayhawks host the Baylor Bears at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 18. Kickoff is slated for 2:30 p.m.