The Kansas Jayhawks enter the 2026 college football season after two consecutive 5‑7 campaigns that left the program without a bowl invitation, a stark contrast to the optimism that followed their 2022 and 2023 successes.
A Turnaround in the Making
The USA TODAY Network’s preseason All‑Big 12 poll reflects that reality, projecting the Jayhawks to finish 12th out of 16 teams, a spot that underscores the challenge ahead.
Three Jayhawks earned preseason honorable‑mention recognition — Leroy Harris III, Trey Lathan and Dylan Edwards — but none made the All‑Big 12 first or second teams.
The memory of bowl victories in 2022 and 2023 still lingers, having raised expectations among fans and analysts alike.
Yet the 2024 and 2025 seasons delivered disappointing results, leaving the coaching staff and players eager to rewrite the narrative.
Central to the upcoming campaign will be a quarterback competition that pits Cole Ballard, Isaiah Marshall and Chase Jenkins against each other for the starting role.
Adding experience to the mix, former offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki has returned as associate head coach, while D.K. McDonald begins his second year as lead defensive coordinator, aiming to fortify a defense that showed flashes of promise.
If the Jayhawks can harness the talent of their emerging signal‑callers and benefit from the continuity of Kotelnicki and McDonald, the 12th‑place projection could quickly become a distant memory.