The McAlary Effect

[James]

Bro you can't be losing to these teams.

[djp73]

Couldn’t get open and couldn’t stop that goofy ass offense.

[djp73]

Jayhawk Talk

Each week following their game Kansas Head Coach Jordan McAlary makes an appearance on KLWN to talk about the game, we'll include a few key points in this article.

On what led to the loss
"We simply didn't execute the way we needed to. Turnovers killed us, and you can’t give up that kind of field position and expect to win. We missed opportunities on both sides of the ball, and that’s on us as coaches to get this team ready."

On the MTSU offense
"Middle Tennessee showed us some looks we weren’t fully prepared for. We knew they’d bring a unique offense, but we didn’t adjust fast enough, and it showed. When you don’t come out fully prepared, you end up playing from behind, and that’s exactly what happened."

On Isaiah Marshall's injury
"Isaiah [Marshall] is good to go. He’s cleared and practiced without limitations. We expect him to start next week at Western Kentucky and lead this team with the energy we know he brings."

[djp73]

Big 12 Update
Week 3

Big 12 Headlines
Iowa State Surges Past West Virginia, 35-14
Rice Overcomes Houston in a Close 41-38 Battle
Utah Holds Off TCU, 28-14, to Stay Unbeaten
Middle Tennessee St. Outlasts Kansas in a Nail-Biter, 29-22
Auburn Runs Through UCF with Dominant 49-7 Victory
Kansas State Stays Resilient to Beat Tulane, 35-27
Colorado Overwhelms Northwestern, 44-21
Texas Tech Shines with a 45-12 Victory Over Oklahoma State

Big 12 Scores
Rutgers 35, Baylor 29
Iowa State 35, West Virginia 14
Rice 41, Houston 38
Utah 28, TCU 14
Middle Tennessee St. 29, Kansas 22
Auburn 49, UCF 7
Kansas State 35, Tulane 27
Colorado 44, Northwestern 21
Texas Tech 45, Oklahoma State 12
Arizona 38, Kennesaw State 35
Cincinnati 34, Miami University 0
Arizona State 56, Hawai'i 19

Big 12 Players of the Week
Houston RE Tito Dial: 9 tackles in a 41-38 loss to Rice
Baylor WR Micah Gifford: 13 receptions, 259 yards, 3 TDs in a 35-29 loss at Rutgers

Big 12 Conference Standings

Team	W-L	PCT	CONF	PF	PA	HOME	AWAY	STK
Iowa State	4-0	1.000	1-0	126	56	2-0	2-0	W4
Kansas	2-1	0.667	1-0	98	60	2-1	0-0	L1
Texas Tech	3-1	0.750	1-1	122	95	1-1	2-0	W2
Utah	3-0	1.000	1-0	92	61	2-0	1-0	W3
Arizona	0-2	0.000	0-0	51	59	0-0	0-2	L2
Arizona State	1-2	0.333	0-0	93	88	1-1	0-1	W1
Baylor	1-2	0.333	0-0	53	59	1-0	0-2	L1
BYU	1-1	0.500	0-0	31	38	1-0	0-1	W1
Cincinnati	2-0	1.000	0-0	62	24	2-0	0-0	W2
Colorado	1-1	0.500	0-0	82	62	0-0	1-1	W1
Houston	1-1	0.500	0-0	65	51	1-1	0-0	L1
Kansas State	2-1	0.667	0-0	109	76	2-1	0-0	W1
Oklahoma State	1-2	0.333	0-1	51	104	0-1	1-1	L2
TCU	2-1	0.667	0-0	79	55	2-1	0-0	W1
UCF	1-2	0.333	0-1	70	82	1-1	0-1	L1
West Virginia	0-4	0.000	0-1	94	135	0-2	0-2	L4

Big 12 Leaders

Category	Player	School	STATS
Pass Yards	Howie DiNapoli	Texas Tech	1,059
Pass TDs	Howie DiNapoli	Texas Tech	12
Rushing Yards	Johnny Thompson Jr	Kansas	334
Rushing TDs	I. Marshall/A. Sama III	Kansas/Iowa State	4
Receiving Yards	Jarel Williams	West Virginia	332
Receiving TDs	Kelby Valsin	Texas Tech	5
Total Tackles	George Grimm	UCF	32
Sacks	K. Ebel/L. Carreon	Iowa State/Kansas	5.0
Interceptions	J. Peoples	Texas Tech	4

[djp73]

NCAA Update
Week 3

NCAA Headlines
Kent State shocks Ohio State with 39-31 win
Oregon Dominates Oregon State, Remains No. 1
Georgia Surges with Convincing Victory Over Louisville
Texas A&M Continues Dominance with 58-0 Rout Over FCS West
Alabama Edges Florida State in Tight 19-14 Battle
Clemson Cruises Past Toledo, Set for Virginia Tech Clash
Kansas State Re-Enters Rankings with Gritty Win Over Tulane
Notre Dame Breaks into Top 25 After Miami Victory

NCAA Players of the Week
Defensive: David Stone (Oklahoma), 6 Tackles, 4 Sacks in a 38-14 win over New Mexico
Offensive: Micah Gifford (Baylor), 13 Receptions, 259 Yards, 3 TDs in a 35-29 loss at Rutgers

Top 25 Rankings
Rank	LW	Team	W-L	Pts	Last Week	This Week
1	1	Oregon	3-0	1,600	W 35-10 at Oregon State	Washington
2	2	Georgia	3-0	1,519	W 42-14 at Louisville	---
3	3	Texas A&M	3-0	1,456	W 58-0 vs FCS West	---
4	4	Alabama	3-0	1,429	W 19-14 vs 16 Florida State	---
5	5	SMU	3-0	1,348	W 30-28 vs UMass	---
6	6	Florida	3-0	1,274	W 45-10 vs California	---
7	8	Clemson	3-0	1,173	W 42-21 vs Toledo	Virginia Tech
8	9	Duke	2-0	1,116	---	North Carolina
9	10	Virginia Tech	3-0	1,061	W 45-31 at Maryland	at 7 Clemson
10	11	Oklahoma	3-0	994	W 38-14 vs New Mexico	at Mississippi State
11	14	Cincinnati	2-0	828	W 34-0 vs Miami University	Utah
12	15	Tennessee	4-0	791	W 31-13 vs Western Michigan	---
13	19	Penn State	3-0	619	W 47-6 vs Buffalo	---
14	18	Michigan	2-1	619	W 24-18 vs UTEP	UCLA
15	7	USC	1-1	573	L 42-21 vs Washington	at Ole Miss
16	13	Florida State	0-2	542	L 19-14 at 4 Alabama	Virginia
17	21	Texas Tech	3-1	487	W 45-17 at Oklahoma State	West Virginia
18	12	Miami	2-1	440	L 24-21 at 25 Notre Dame	Central Michigan
19	22	Colorado	1-1	424	W 44-21 at Northwestern	UCF
20	23	South Carolina	1-1	396	---	Texas
21	24	Nevada	3-0	368	W 20-13 at Missouri	---
22	NR	Kansas State	2-1	341	W 35-27 vs Tulane	Oklahoma State
23	NR	Charlotte	2-1	283	W 38-7 at Appalachian State	at Louisville
24	17	UTSA	2-1	257	L 25-24 at Texas	at Temple
25	NR	Notre Dame	2-2	240	W 24-21 vs 18 Miami	at Purdue

Others receiving votes: San Jose State 232, Tulane 166, Texas 149, Jacksonville State 128, Washington 121, North Carolina 99, Iowa State 27, TCU 7, Boise State 3
Dropped from rankings: Tulane 16, Boston College 20, TCU 25

Heisman Watch
Player	POS	School	Last Game
Eli Holstein	QB	Pittsburgh	W vs FCS East 35-21, 286 Yds, 2 TD, 43 Rush Yds, 1 Rush TD
Dante Moore	QB	Oregon	W vs Oregon State 35-10, 248 Yds, 2 TD, 30 Rush Yds 1 Rush TD
Ryan Wingo	WR	Texas	W vs UTSA 25-24, 4Rec 202 Yds 3TD
Julian Sayin	QB	Ohio State	L vs Kent State 31-39, 285 Yds 4TD 1Int, 12 Rush Yds
Gunner Stockton	QB	Georgia	W vs Louisville 42-14, 237 Yds, 4 TD, 42 Rush Yds, 1 Rush TD

[djp73]

Recruiting Update

Recruiting Targets (Listed by National Ranking)
##	POS	NAME		Class	NATL	STATE	POS	Home	HT	WT	Stage | Interest
01	ATH	Diego Maramarosa		HS	30	5	1	Brock, TX	6'1"	208	Top 8 | 1st
02	RT	Stephen Chancey		HS	290	1	21	Wamego, KS	6'4"	293	Top 5 | 1st
03	CB	Immanuel Jones		HS	312	44	26	Forney, TX	6'1"	177	Top 5 | 2nd
04	DT	Nick Ballage		HS	427	2	26	Wichita, KS	6'4"	304	Top 5 | 2nd
05	MLB	Tracey Sledge		HS	456	6	19	Saint Louis, MO	6'2"	238	Top 5 | 1st
06	CB	Kevin Genus		HS	464	66	45	Fort Worth, TX	6'3"	178	Top 5 | 2nd
07	P	Anthony Newson		HS	553	48	2	Cartersville, GA	6'5"	220	Top 5 | 1st
08	ATH	Tyler Jones		HS	574	4	25	Wichita, KS	6'2"	225	Top 5 | 2nd
09	ROLB	Jordan Roper		HS	590	10	32	Malvern, PA	6'1"	245	Top 5 | 1st
10	DT	George Boldonado		HS	616	9	34	Saint Louis, MO	6'3"	282	Top 5 | 1st
11	FS	Emanuel Manuel		HS	625	89	17	Mount Enterprise, TX	5'10"	211	Top 5 | 1st
12	CB	Thomas Schilling		HS	675	100	56	Houston, TX	6'0"	172	Top 8 | 1st
13	ROLB	Juan Kay		HS	714	109	37	Frisco, TX	6'1"	233	Top 5 | 1st
14	ML	Tony Street		HS	765	8	40	Choctaw, OK	6'2"	227	Top 8 | 1st
15	HB	Zach Boyett		HS	863	12	77	Kansas City, MO	5'9"	198	Top 8 | 1st
16	DT	Jamerson Sills		HS	868	6	52	Overland Park, KS	6'3"	309	Top 8 | 1st
17	RE	Anton Terrill		HS	915	13	62	Saint Louis, MO	6'0"	233	Top 5 | 3rd
18	WR	Sean McGarrity		HS	917	28	106	Tickfaw, LA	6'1"	211	Top 5 | 1st
19	RE	Deandre Steele		HS	951	7	65	Lawrence, KS	6'3"	291	Top 5 | 1st
20	DT	David Clabo		HS	1062	7	65	Fayetteville, AR	6'5"	299	Top 8 | 2nd
21	RE	Darrius Capps		HS	1089	9	74	Wichita, KS	6'2"	264	Top 8 | 1st
22	CB	Josh Alvarado		HS	1096	163	88	Humble, TX	6'1"	180	Top 8 | 1st
23	SS	Marco Lester		HS	1170	37	30	Alexandria, LA	5'10"	217	Top 5 | 1st
24	LT	Manny Puente		HS	1277	21	48	Saint Louis. MO	6'6"	304	Top 3 | 2nd
25	MLB	Deandre Rourke		HS	1330	19	66	Owasso, OK	5'11"	225	Top 5 | 2nd
26	ATH	Alex Connor		HS	1481	13	82	Olathe, KS	6'5"	234	Top 8 | 1st
27	P	Rakkim Darby		HS	2108	31	38	Saint Louis, MO	6'4"	213	Top 5 | 1st

[djp73]

Game Preview
@
2-1(1-0) | 1-1(0-0)
Saturday, September 26th 2026
L. T. Smith Stadium | Bowling Green, Kentucky
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Western Kentucky Season Results
Week 1 W 23-10 vs FCS Northwest
Week 2 L 21-40 @ Georgia
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Team Leaders

Passing | QB Isaiah Marshall – 453Yds 2TD 6Int
Rushing | HB Johnny Thompson Jr – 334Yds 3TD
Receiving | HB Avery Muamba - 171Yds
Tackles | SS Taylor Davis - 29
Sacks | DE Lyle Carreon – 5.0
Interceptions | CB Kaleb Purdy, CB Jeremiah Moses - 2


Passing | QB Caden Veltkamp – 360Yds 3TD 0Int
Rushing | HB Corey Landers – 145Yds 1TD
Receiving WR Devon Bates – 120Yds 2TD
Tackles | SS Jayden Sweeney - 14
Sacks | DE Chukwunedu Okeke – 1.5
Interceptions | MLB Miller Malone, CB Zazir Ward - 1

Injuries
Kansas – None
Western Kentucky - None

[djp73]

Game Report

Kansas leans on ground game and defense to secure road win at Western Kentucky

@
24 | 14
3-1(1-0) | 1-2(0-0)
Saturday, September 26th 2026
L. T. Smith Stadium | Bowling Green, Kentucky
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|00|07|07|10|24
|00|07|00|07|14
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Bowling Green, Kentucky - In an intense showdown, Kansas emerged victorious over Western Kentucky with a 24-14 score, powered by standout performances and critical defensive stops. Johnny Thompson Jr. was named Player of the Game, showcasing his prowess with 138 rushing yards on 35 carries and scoring a pivotal touchdown. Complementing his efforts, Avery Muamba added a solid 105 rushing yards on just 13 carries, emphasizing the dominant ground attack by Kansas.

Glen Jue and Isaiah Marshall each chipped in rushing touchdowns.

The Jayhawks’ offensive line played a significant role, providing consistent protection and creating ample rushing lanes throughout the game. This allowed Kansas to amass 270 rushing yards, keeping the pressure on the Western Kentucky defense.

On the defensive side, Kansas’ safety Taylor Davis delivered a key sack, stifling a potential momentum shift by Western Kentucky. Brian Dilworth had an outstanding day, forcing a crucial fumble and recovering two fumbles, showcasing his impact on the defensive front.

As the game approached its conclusion, Kansas cornerback Jeremiah Moses came up with a clutch interception, sealing the win for the Jayhawks in the fourth quarter.

Isaiah Marshall, who has had trouble with turnovers, was efficient if not overly cautious, completing 18 of 23 pass attempts for 157 yards. He did throw one interception.

Despite the victory, Kansas kicker Shaq Durham had a rough outing, missing two field goals in the first quarter before converting a 28-yard field goal in the fourth.

Additional Media


















Scoring Summary
Second Quarter
(KU) Isaiah Marshall, 6-yard run (Shaq Durham kick), 0:59 [Kansas 7, WKU 0]
(WKU) Jaylen Hampton, 70-yard pass from Caden Veltkamp (Lucas Carneiro kick), 0:03 [Kansas 7, WKU 7]
Third Quarter
(KU) Johnny Thompson Jr., 1-yard run (Shaq Durham kick), 1:54 [Kansas 14, WKU 7]
Fourth Quarter
(WKU) Santiago Yelito, 10-yard pass from Caden Veltkamp (Lucas Carneiro kick), 6:24 [Kansas 14, WKU 14]
(KU) Shaq Durham, 28-yard field goal, 2:35 [Kansas 17, WKU 14]
(KU) Glen Jue, 1-yard run (Shaq Durham kick), 1:35 [Kansas 24, WKU 14]

Key Statistics

Passing – I. Marshall 18/23 157Yds 1Int
Rushing – J. Thompson Jr 35Car 138Yds 1TD, A. Muamba 13Car 105Yds, T. Warren 2Car 12Yds, G. Jue 4Car 11Yds 1TD, I. Marshall 4Car 4Yds 1TD
Receiving – D. Keo 4Rec 42Yds, J. Hamm 3Rec 37Yds, A. Muamba 4Rec 36Yds, R. Slay 5Rec 33Yds
Tackles – J. Russell 5
Sacks – T. Davis 1.0
Takeaways – J. Moses 1Int, B. Dilworth 1FF 2FR
Special Teams – S. Durham 1/3FG 3/3XP, D. Greaves 1Pt 46.0Avg, A. Muamba 1KR 46Yds 2PR 10Yds, M. Cooke 2KR 28Yds


Passing – C. Veltkamp 12/29 183Yds 2TD 1Int
Rushing – C. Landers 8Car 27Yds
Receiving – J. Hampton 3Rec 92Yds 1TD, S. Yelito 4Rec 51Yds 1TD, D. Bates 2Rec 20Yds
Tackles – J. Sweeney 13, M. Malone 12, D. Thomas 12
Sacks – J. Sweeney 1.0
Takeaways – D. Thomas 1Int
Special Teams – L. Carneiro 2/2XP, J. Smith 4Pt 44.2Avg, D. Jefferson 1KR 20Yds

Up Next

[djp73]

Jayhawk Talk

Each week following their game Kansas Head Coach Jordan McAlary makes an appearance on KLWN to talk about the game, we'll include a few key points in this article.

“Johnny Thompson Jr. was an absolute workhorse for us today. His relentless effort and determination set the tone for our entire offense, and I’m proud of how our offensive line stepped up to create those opportunities.”

“Defensively, I can't say enough about Taylor Davis and Jeremiah Moses. Taylor’s key sack shifted the momentum when we needed it most, and Jeremiah’s interception sealed the game for us. Those are the kind of plays that define a team’s grit and heart.”

“Shaq [Durham] had some tough moments early on, but I’m glad he stayed mentally strong and came back to make that crucial kick in the fourth quarter. It’s those moments that build resilience, and I’m confident he’ll learn and grow from this experience.”

[djp73]

Big 12 Update
Week 4

Big 12 Headlines
Iowa State Holds Strong, Defeats BYU 45-13
Utah Outlasts Cincinnati in a Close 31-26 Win
Kansas Secures Road Victory Over Western Kentucky 24-14
TCU Edges Out Memphis with a 29-24 Win
Colorado Defeats UCF in a High-Scoring Match 38-29
Oklahoma State Takes Down Kansas State 27-20 in a Thriller
Houston Falls Short in a 38-37 Heartbreaker Against Georgia Southern
Texas Tech Dispatches West Virginia 24-21 in a Nail-Biter

Big 12 Scores
Georgia Southern 38, Houston 37
Iowa State 45, BYU 13
Arizona 48, FCS West 17
Kansas 24, Western Kentucky 14
TCU 29, Memphis 24
Colorado 38, UCF 29
Oklahoma State 27, Kansas State 20
Utah 31, Cincinnati 26
Texas Tech 24, West Virginia 21

Big 12 Players of the Week
Defensive: Smith Snowden (Utah), 7 tackles, 2 interceptions, 1 TD in a 31-26 win over Cincinnati
Offensive: Abu Sama III (Iowa State), 15 carries, 163 rushing yards, 2 TDs in a 45-13 victory over BYU

Big 12 Conference Standings

Team	W-L	PCT	CONF	PF	PA	HOME	AWAY	STK
Iowa State	5-0	1.000	2-0	171	69	2-0	3-0	W5
Kansas	3-1	0.750	1-0	122	74	2-1	1-0	W1
Texas Tech	4-1	0.800	2-0	146	116	2-1	2-0	W3
Utah	4-0	1.000	2-0	123	87	2-0	2-0	W4
Colorado	2-1	0.667	1-0	120	91	1-0	1-1	W2
Oklahoma State	2-2	0.500	1-1	78	124	0-1	2-1	W1
Arizona	1-2	0.333	0-0	99	76	1-0	0-2	W1
Arizona State	1-2	0.333	0-0	93	88	1-1	0-1	W1
Baylor	1-2	0.333	0-0	53	59	1-0	0-2	L1
Houston	1-2	0.333	0-0	102	89	1-1	0-1	L2
BYU	1-2	0.333	0-1	44	83	1-1	0-1	L1
Cincinnati	2-1	0.667	0-1	88	55	2-1	0-0	L1
Kansas State	2-2	0.500	0-0	129	103	2-2	0-0	L1
West Virginia	0-5	0.000	0-2	115	159	0-2	0-3	L5

Big 12 Leaders

Category	Player	School	STATS
Pass Yards	Howie DiNapoli	Texas Tech	1,389
Pass TDs	Howie DiNapoli	Texas Tech	14
Rushing Yards	Abu Sama III	Iowa State	486
Rushing TDs	Abu Sama III	Iowa State	6
Receiving Yards	Jordyn Bridgewater	UCF	456
Receiving TDs	Kelby Valsin	Texas Tech	6
Total Tackles	George Grimm	UCF	38
Sacks	Kooper Ebel	Iowa State	8.0
Interceptions	J. Peoples/T. Fegans/S. Snowden	Texas Tech/UCF/Utah	4