2024 NCAAF Cheat Sheet: Kansas Jayhawks Stats & Odds
Daniels Poised to Have Big Hand in 2024 Kansas Jayhawks Stats
Let’s take a closer look at the odds and assess some potential 2024 Kansas Jayhawks stats.
The Big 12 Conference title figures to be there for the taking this season, with the Kansas Jayhawks among the top contenders. Expectations are high following a breakthrough season in which they won nine games and scored their first bowl victory in 15 years.
As the calendar flips to July, are the Jayhawks worth wagering on?
At A Glance
| Odds to Win | Opening Odds | Current Odds |
| Championship | +20000 | +20000 |
| Conference | +750 | +900 |
| Regular Season Win Total | 8.5 (o+138, u-170) | 8.0 (o-125, u+105) |
| To Make Playoffs | N/A | N/A |
Daniels, Jayhawks Primed to Build on Breakthrough
Kansas, one of the perennial laughingstocks of college football, underwent an incredible transformation under head coach Lance Leipold last season.
The Jayhawks went 9-4, including 5-4 in Big 12 Conference play, and won the Guaranteed Rate Bowl, outlasting UNLV 49-36. It marked the program’s first winning season since 2008 (8-5) and its second time in as many years cracking the AP Top 25 NCAAF rankings.
The Jayhawks started 4-0 and climbed to No. 19 in the polls before a back injury prematurely ended the season of quarterback Jalon Daniels. Daniels was impressive in limited work (705 yards, 5 TD, 1 INT), as his dual-threat abilities proved to be a perfect fit for Leipold’s big-play offense.
With Daniels returning, expectations are understandably a lot higher for Kansas. The Jayhawks are projected for 8.0 wins and should compete atop the new-look Big 12, alongside the likes of Utah, Kansas State and Oklahoma State. With Oklahoma and Texas no longer in the mix, the conference is wide open.
The Jayhawks also bring back a lot of talent besides Daniels, but their fate — for better or worse — will ultimately rest on his shoulders. He’ll have a big hand in the 2024 Kansas Jayhawks stats.
Championship Odds: An NCAA Title? Maybe in Basketball
Kansas? A national champion? Don’t count on it.
We love overachievers, and the Jayhawks were a fun story last season. But they’re nowhere near ready to compete for an NCAA title. That’s not going to change this season, and — even with the expanded playoff field — it might not ever change. This is a basketball school, and it will remain a basketball school for the foreseeable future.
Even if the Jayhawks find a way to win the Big 12, they would still need to contend with juggernauts like Georgia, Alabama, Michigan and Ohio State. That’s not happening.
Bettors would be wise to put their money elsewhere before wagering on Kansas to win the national title.
🔴⚪️🔵 KU 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/POuhNjcdtO
— Kansas Football (@KU_Football) July 4, 2024
Conference Odds: Among a Handful of Teams in Mix
- The path to a Big 12 championship is a bit clearer following the departures of Oklahoma and Texas for the SEC. Kansas is +900 to win the conference, though its odds have dropped from +750 over the last month. Utah (+320) and Kansas State (+380) are currently atop the odds board, followed by Oklahoma State (+750).
Kansas, meanwhile, is tied for the fourth-best odds per college football betting lines.
It’s not unreasonable to envision the Jayhawks winning the league. But Daniels’ health will be key, along with the development of those surrounding him. They may be talented enough to return to a bowl game without Daniels at full strength, but they need him at his best to compete atop the conference. There’s no way around it.
Regular Season Wins: Schedule Set Up for Success
Kansas has won eight or more games just three times in the last quarter-century, however, the arrow is clearly pointing up. Leipold, who posted a .529 winning percentage during his previous stop at Buffalo, is a proven program-builder.
The Jayhawks have a reasonably soft non-conference schedule, which should allow them to build some momentum before the Big 12 opener at West Virginia on Sept. 21. They host FCS school Lindenwood and UNLV in non-conference play, with a trip to Illinois sandwiched in between. They beat Illinois 34-23 last season, Daniels’ final game before getting injured.
The Jayhawks also miss Utah, Oklahoma State and UCF during the conference slate and get Iowa State at home (Nov. 9).
There’s opportunity for them to do some damage and, at worst, hit their projected win total of 8.0.
To Make Playoffs: Too Much to Overcome
Leipold has done a terrific job rebuilding Kansas after decades of futility. However, even with the field tripling in size from four to 12 teams, it’s hard to see the Jayhawks making this kind of leap.
So much hinges on the health of Daniels, who must prove he can stay healthy over the course of the season.
2024 Kansas Jayhawks Stats: Daniels Worth a Sprinkle
- Daniels is far from a top contender for the Heisman Trophy. However, at +3000, he’s far enough up the odds board to draw some attention.
He shot up odds boards last season after a spectacular cameo as the Jayhawks’ starter.
If he stays healthy, he’ll certainly be in the mix for college football’s top honor. The numbers will be there. Keep that in mind when forecasting the 2024 Kansas Jayhawks stats.
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