The McAlary Effect

[djp73]

NCAA Update
Week 9

NCAA Headlines
Nebraska Grinds Out a Win Over Wisconsin - The top-ranked Cornhuskers stayed undefeated with a 10-3 victory in a defensive slugfest against Wisconsin. Nebraska's defense showed its championship mettle, forcing two turnovers to remain perfect on the season.
Michigan’s Offense Rolls at UCLA - The Wolverines continued their unbeaten run with a 48-31 win on the road. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy passed for 4 touchdowns, putting Michigan in a strong position ahead of their clash with Penn State.
Kansas Secures Rivalry Win, Prepares for Showdown with Cincinnati - No. 6 Kansas leaned on its rushing attack and stout defense to dominate Kansas State 24-8 in the Sunshine Showdown. The Jayhawks now face a top-20 matchup with No. 19 Cincinnati in a battle for Big 12 supremacy.
Auburn Drops Big at Tennessee - In a Top 25 SEC clash, No. 25 Auburn was overpowered by No. 16 Tennessee, falling 51-21. The Tigers’ playoff hopes took a significant hit, while Tennessee solidified its status as a dark-horse contender.

National Players of the Week
Defensive: Devon Baxter, Michigan – 7 tackles, 5 sacks in a 48-31 win over UCLA.
Offensive: Ryan Pellum, Stanford – 10 receptions, 188 yards, 4 receiving touchdowns in a 42-31 victory over Western Kentucky.

College Football Playoff Top 25 Rankings

Rank	Team	W-L	Last Week	This Week
1	Nebraska	8-0	W 10-3 at Wisconsin	at Ohio State
2	Michigan	8-0	W 48-31 at UCLA	at Penn State
3	Alabama	6-2	W 28-19 vs Mississippi State	at Kentucky
4	Pittsburgh	7-1	W 29-13 vs UConn	SMU
5	Notre Dame	8-1	W 54-3 vs Navy	Virginia Tech
6	Kansas	7-1	W 24-8 vs Kansas State	at No. 19 Cincinnati
7	Clemson	6-2	W 34-26 at SMU	at No. 20 NC State
8	Texas A&M	7-2	L 21-15 at No. 15 Georgia	vs 16 Tennessee
9	Ohio State	7-1	W 20-14 vs Michigan State	No. 1 Nebraska
10	Oregon State	7-1	W 27-17 at Tulsa	Virginia
11	Washington	6-2	W 44-36 vs Maryland	at Rutgers
12	Colorado	6-2	W 30-24 at BYU	at Houston
13	Duke	6-2	L 24-23 vs Louisville	at North Carolina
14	Boise State	8-0	W 28-21 at Utah State	at San Diego State
15	Georgia	5-3	W 21-15 vs No. 8 Texas A&M	Florida
16	Tennessee	6-2	W 51-21 vs 25 Auburn	at Texas A&M
17	Oklahoma	5-3	L 31-9 vs Florida	Arkansas
18	USC	7-1	W 34-21 vs Illinois	Wisconsin
19	Cincinnati	7-1	W 24-13 at Baylor	6 Kansas
20	NC State	5-3	W 30-27 at Virginia	7 Clemson
21	Arizona	6-2	W 31-27 at Utah	at Oklahoma State
22	Florida State	6-2	L 27-24 at California	Georgia Tech
23	Texas Tech	6-3	W 51-21 at UCF	Baylor
24	Oregon	6-3	W 35-21 vs Penn State	at UCLA
25	Auburn	6-2	L 51-21 at 16 Tennessee	at South Carolina

Heisman Watch

Player	POS	Team	Last Game
Kenny Minchey	QB	Notre Dame	54-3 W vs Navy: 19-29 226Yds 4 TD, 92rush Yds
Christopher Vizzina	QB	Clemson	34-26 W @ SMU: 365Yds 2TD 1Int, 35rush Yds 1TD
Daniel Kaelin	QB	Nebraska	10-3 W @ Wisconsin: 88Yds 1TD
Isaac Wilson	QB	Utah	27-31 L vs Arizona: 251Yds 1TD 2Int, 71rush Yds 1TD
Eli Holstein	QB	Pittsburgh	29-13 W vs UConn: 318Yds 2TD, 51rush Yds

[djp73]

Recruiting Update

Kansas' recruiting class is in shambles as top three rated targets commit elsewhere.

Eric Fredrickson, the top ranked MLB and #12 player overall has signed with Alabama. He had Kansas second last week but dropped them to third before announcing his signing with Alabama.

DT Tavares Sands, the number two defensive tackle in the nation and 13th ranked player overall, moved Kansas from third to second earlier this week before also announcing he would be joining the Crimson Tide.

Finally OLB Connor O'Neal, who is ranked 89th overall and fourth at his position, has announced his commitment to Arkansas. O'Neal has Kansas listed as his second choice.

“We're confident in our recruiting process and we're not reaching for the panic button.” Kansas head coach Jordan McAlary explained. “We'll refocus and redouble our efforts and close the deal with some kids we're really excited about.”

Kansas is one of only three schools yet to have a player committed.

Recruiting Targets (Listed by National Ranking)
##	POS	NAME		Class	NATL	STATE	POS	Home	HT	WT	Stage | Interest
01	RG	Robert Kumah		HS	99	2	4	Bloomington, IN	6'1"	305	Top 3 | 2nd
02	RT	Clarence Reaves		HS	212	1	13	Ankeny, IA	6'7"	326	Top 3 | 2nd
03	ATH	Alan Boulware		HS	278	2	14	Loveland, CO	6'3"	202	Top 5 | 1st
04	MLB	B.J. Chase		HS	280	4	14	Kamas, UT	6'2"	242	Top 5 | 1st
05	CB	Clay Ealy		HS	314	3	41	Hopkinsville, KY	6'2"	181	Top 8 | 1st
06	MLB	Edward Uzomah		HS	395	5	21	American Fork, UT	6'2"	232	Top 8 | 7th
07	RG	Calvin Capps		HS	414	9	15	West Bloomfield, MI	6'4"	280	Top 5 | 2nd
08	RT	Diondre Tolbert		HS	478	5	24	Saint Peters, MO	6'4"	299	Top 5 | 1st
09	QB	Tavaris Lanovoi		HS	479	47	35	Watkinsville, GA	6'4"	201	Top 5 | 1st
10	LOLB	Damarr Payne		HS	494	7	14	Draper, UT	6'0"	245	Top 8 | 5th
11	ROLB	Dwayne Bolen		HS	526	10	28	Scottsdale, AZ	6'3"	257	Top 5 | 2nd
12	RG	Shakir Penn		HS	542	13	23	Ruston, LA	6'1"	296	Top 5 | 1st
13	RT	Jacques Butt		HS	576	10	30	Muncie, IN	6'7"	331	Top 10 | 1st
14	FB	Theo Cantrell		HS	587	14	6	Alexandria, LA	6'0"	231	Top 5 | 1st
15	ATH	Spencer Fantuz		HS	694	2	19	Lakin, KS	6'4"	306	Top 8 | 1st
16	TE	Courtland Stafford		HS	745	25	33	Irvington, NJ	6'5"	243	Top 5 | 1st

[djp73]

Game Preview

7-1(4-1) | 7-1(4-1)
Saturday November 6th, 2027
Nippert Stadium | Cincinnati, Ohio
---
Kansas Season Results
Week 1 W 49-24 vs Texas Tech
Week 2 W 42-28 @ Washington State
Week 3 W 52-21 vs Louisiana Tech
Week 4 W 15-14 vs Oklahoma
Week 5 L 21-27 @ Houston
Week 6 W 35-21 @ Colorado
Week 7 W 48-10 @ BYU
Week 9 W 24-8 vs Kansas State
---
Cincinnati Season Results
Week 1 W 37-24 @ Louisville
Week 3 W 38-37 @ Miami Ohio
Week 4 W 37-21 @ Boston College
Week 5 W 41-24 @ TCU
Week 6 W 44-42 vs Oklahoma State
Week 7 L 20-28 @ Arizona State
Week 8 W 24-17 vs West Virginia
Week 9 W 24-13 @ Baylor
---
Team Leaders

Passing | QB Brad Matlock 104/171 1,215Yds 11TD 8Int, I. Marshall 23/33 350Yds 2TD 1Int
Rushing | HB Johnny Thompson Jr 164Car 978Yds 12TD, HB Avery Muamba 125Car 751Yds 4TD, I. Marshall 51Car 270Yds 5TD
Receiving | WR Damien Keo 37Rec 544Yds 4TD, WR Keaton Kubecka 33Rec 355Yds 1TD, HB Avery Muamba 25Rec 246Yds 3TD
Tackles | LB Roddy Orr 45, LB Donte Cantrell 41, CB Jeremiah Moses 37
Sacks | DE Tony Terry 5.0, DT Marcus Calvin 4.5, DE Greydon Grimes 3.5, DT T.J. Harbor 2.0
Interceptions | CB Jeremiah Moses 5, CB Damani Maxson 4


Passing | QB Brody Drogosh 152/227 2,061Yds 21TD 10Int
Rushing | HB Manny Covey 141Car 415Yds 3TD, QB Brody Drogosh 71Car 279Yds 3TD, HB Deon Reader 37Car 124Yds 5TD
Receiving | WR Dakarai Anderson 23Rec 373Yds 3TD, WR Vonterrio Smith 28Rec 358Yds 4TD, WR Tra'Mar Harris 28Rec 340Yds 3TD
Tackles | MLB Joey Hepburn 46, CB Reggie Bales 42, SS Cliff Emerson 35
Sacks | LE Troy Regovich 8.0, RE Juan Cannida 5.5, LE Garrison Butler 5.0
Interceptions | CB Reggie Bales 3

Injuries
Kansas – QB Isaiah Marshall, LE Greydon Grimes, DT T.J. Harbor
Cincinnati – WR Kale Woodburn, FS Mekhi Tolliver

[The JZA]

Good shit on returning that L from last year to KSU

[djp73]

Yeah that was on our minds for sure!

[djp73]

Game Report

Kansas holds off Cincy to take first place in the Big 12


28 | 21
8-1(5-1) | 7-2(4-2)
Saturday November 6th, 2027
Nippert Stadium | Cincinnati, Ohio
---
|07|07|07|07|28
|07|07|00|07|21
---

---
Cincinnati, Ohio - In a hard-fought matchup between two 4-1 Big 12 teams, the Kansas Jayhawks secured a 28-21 victory over the Cincinnati Bearcats, improving to 8-1 overall and 5-1 in conference play. The Jayhawks relied on a srong running game and timely takeaways on defense to overcome Cincinnati's explosive moments.

Kansas running back Johnny Thompson Jr. had a historic night, rushing for 118 yards on 18 carries to eclipse the 2,500-yard mark for his career. Avery Muamba added 80 yards on the ground and scored a touchdown, while Adonis Saturday and Terrelle Warren also contributed rushing scores.

Through the air, Keaton Kubecka led the Jayhawks with six receptions for 65 yards, including a pivotal 6-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter from quarterback Brad Matlock. Despite throwing for just 140 yards with one touchdown and one interception, Matlock made timely plays to keep drives alive. Muamba chipped in with three catches for 28 yards, showcasing his versatility.

Cincinnati's defense was led by Joey Hepburn, who tallied an impressive 16 tackles. The Bearcats also recorded four sacks, including contributions from Thomas Michaels, Troy Regovich, Juan Cannida and Garrison Butler. Will Hawthorne intercepted Matlock, adding to the defensive effort.

The Kansas defense stole the spotlight with game-changing plays throughout the night. Logan Brantley was a standout, recording two sacks, including a critical strip sack and recovery. Tony Terry added another sack, while Jeremiah Moses, Terrance Yates, and Jayvaun Russell each grabbed interceptions, capitalizing on Cincinnati quarterback Brady Drogosh's struggles.

Drogosh had a rollercoaster evening, throwing for 189 yards and two long touchdowns to Dakarai Anderson. However, his four turnovers (three interceptions and a lost fumble) proved costly. Anderson was the Bearcats' offensive star, hauling in three catches for 103 yards and two scores. Running back Manny Covey also impressed, rushing for 120 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries.

The game was a back-and-forth affair, with both teams trading punches early. Kansas opened the scoring with a 1-yard touchdown run by Warren, but Cincinnati quickly responded with a 42-yard touchdown pass from Drogosh to Anderson. The teams remained tied at 7-7 at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter saw both teams find the end zone. Cincinnati running back Manny Covey broke free for a 10-yard touchdown run, giving the Bearcats a brief lead. Kansas quickly responded with Avery Muamba powering in for a 1-yard touchdown to tie the game at 14-14 heading into halftime.

Kansas took control in the second half with backup quarterback Adonis Saturday, who came in for a few plays to give the Kansas offense another dimension, finding the end zone on a short run. Kubecka's fourth-quarter touchdown provided a crucial cushion. Drogosh connected with Anderson for a 55-yard score late in the fourth quarter, but Kansas held on thanks to their defensive resilience.

Key Takeaways
Kansas' defense forced four turnovers, including three interceptions, which stifled Cincinnati's momentum.
Johnny Thompson Jr.'s milestone night underscored his importance to the Jayhawks' offense.
Cincinnati's pass rush was effective but could not overcome Drogosh's miscues.

Kansas' victory strengthens their position in the Big 12 race as they continue to build a strong season under head coach Jordan McAlary. Meanwhile, Cincinnati will look to bounce back after a tough loss in which mistakes overshadowed their big-play potential.

Additional Media



















Scoring Summary
First Quarter
Kansas: Terrelle Warren 1-yard run (Shaq Durham kick), 5:23
Cincinnati: Dakarai Anderson 42-yard pass from Brady Drogosh (Dom Ramesh kick), 3:33
Second Quarter
Cincinnati: Manny Covey 10-yard run (Dom Ramesh kick), 7:24
Kansas: Avery Muamba 1-yard run (Shaq Durham kick), 4:47
Third Quarter
Kansas: Adonis Saturday 2-yard run (Shaq Durham kick), 2:57
Fourth Quarter
Kansas: Keaton Kubecka 6-yard pass from Brad Matlock (Shaq Durham kick), 6:39
Cincinnati: Dakarai Anderson 55-yard pass from Brady Drogosh (Dom Ramesh kick), 0:46

Key Statistics

Passing – B. Matlock 12/28 140Yds 1TD 1Int
Rushing – J. Thompson Jr 18Car 118Yds, A. Muamba 17Car 80Yds 1TD, A. Saturday 4Car 18Yds 1TD
Receiving – K. Kubecka 6Rec 65Yds 1TD, D. Keo 1Rec 37Yds, A. Muamba 3Rec 28Yds
Tackles – D. Tripp 7, T. Davis 6
Sacks – L. Brantley 2.0, T. Terry 1.0
Takeaways – T. Yates 1Int, J. Moses 1Int, J. Russell 1Int, L. Brantley 1FF 1FR
Special Teams - S. Durham 4/4XP, A. Newson 2PT 83Yds, M. Cooke 2KR 23Yds 1PR 14Yds, J. Marciano 1KR 17YDs, K. Kubecka 1KR 4Yds


Passing – B. Drogosh 15/28 189Yds 2TD 3Int
Rushing – M. Covey 16Car 120Yds 1TD
Receiving – D. Anderson 3Rec 103Yds 2TD, T. Harris 3Rec 30Yds
Tackles – J. Hepburn 16
Sacks – G. Butler 1.0, T. Regovich 1.0, J. Cannida 1.0, T. Michaels 1.0
Takeaways – W. Hawthorne 1Int
Special Teams – D. Ramesh 3/3XP, S. Bua 3PT 107Yds, S. Wyman 2KR 37Yds, E. Lorenz 1KR 29Yds, D. Anderson 1PR 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.

McAlary commended his team's defensive performance. "The turnovers were the difference in this game," McAlary said. "Logan Brantley’s strip sack and recovery, along with the interceptions by Moses, Yates, and Russell, really set the tone. Our guys stepped up in big moments, and that’s what we needed to beat a tough Cincinnati team."

He also highlighted Johnny Thompson Jr.’s milestone night. "Johnny has been the heart and soul of our offense for a while, and watching him surpass 2,500 career rushing yards was a proud moment for all of us," McAlary said. "He’s the kind of player who embodies what Kansas football is all about—tough, hardworking, and dependable."

While praising the win, McAlary also acknowledged areas for improvement. "We gave up a few explosive plays, and there’s still work to be done, but I’m really proud of how this team continues to fight and find ways to win on the road in a hostile environment."

On the Jayhawks #3 ranking:
"It's a testament to the hard work and resilience of our players and staff. We’ve earned this recognition, but the work is far from over."

On quarterback Isaiah Marshall's injury:
"Isaiah’s made great progress, and there’s a strong chance he’ll be available for this week’s game against Arizona. We’ll continue to evaluate him throughout the week and determine not just if he’ll play, but how much. His health and long-term readiness remain our top priorities."

[djp73]

Big 12 Update
Week 10

Big 12 Headlines
No. 3 Kansas Edges No. 16 Cincinnati, 28-21
Kansas secured a key victory over a strong Cincinnati squad, thanks to a dominant defensive performance. Logan Brantley led the charge with two sacks, a forced fumble, and a recovery, earning Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honors. The Jayhawks are now atop the conference standings.

Colorado Continues to Roll with 28-17 Win Over Houston
No. 8 Colorado extended its win streak to four games with a methodical victory over Houston. The Buffaloes remain a serious contender in the Big 12 title race.

Oklahoma State Overpowers Arizona, 31-19
No. 25 Oklahoma State leaned on its ground game and defense to handle Arizona at home. The Cowboys are steadily climbing in the Big 12 standings.

West Virginia Finds Redemption with a 38-20 Win Over BYU
The Mountaineers snapped a five-game losing streak in emphatic fashion, dominating BYU in Morgantown.

Big 12 Scores
Kansas 28, Cincinnati 21
Colorado 28, Houston 17
Oklahoma State 31, Arizona 19
West Virginia 38, BYU 20
Arizona State 41, TCU 6
Baylor 24, Texas Tech 10
UCF 17, Kansas State 14

Big 12 Players of the Week
Defensive: Logan Brantley, Kansas – 4 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery
Offensive: Shareef Goodley, West Virginia – 4 receptions, 120 yards, 3 touchdowns

Big 12 Conference Standings

Team	W-L	PCT	CONF	PF	PA	HOME	AWAY	STK
No. 3 Kansas	8-1	0.889	5-1	314	174	4-0	4-1	W4
No. 8 Colorado	7-2	0.778	5-1	283	197	4-2	3-0	W4
No. 25 Oklahoma State	6-3	0.667	4-2	257	234	5-1	1-2	W4
Arizona State	5-4	0.556	4-2	253	246	2-3	3-1	W4
No. 16 Cincinnati	7-2	0.778	4-2	286	234	3-1	4-1	L1
Baylor	5-4	0.556	4-2	242	258	2-3	3-1	W1
Iowa State	5-4	0.556	4-2	246	207	2-2	3-2	W1
Texas Tech	6-4	0.600	4-3	297	258	2-3	4-1	L1
Kansas State	5-4	0.556	3-3	214	194	3-1	2-3	L2
Arizona	6-3	0.667	3-3	321	239	3-3	3-0	L1
Utah	5-5	0.500	3-4	275	283	3-3	2-2	L2
TCU	4-5	0.444	2-4	230	296	2-3	1-2	L2
West Virginia	3-7	0.300	2-6	300	296	2-2	1-5	W1
BYU	2-7	0.222	1-5	251	315	2-5	0-2	L5
Houston	2-7	0.222	1-5	169	248	1-3	0-4	L4
UCF	2-7	0.222	1-5	259	301	2-2	0-5	W1

[Baze]

Johnny Thompson, what a nice game

Hopefully he can go out with a national title

[djp73]

NCAA Update
Week 10

NCAA Headlines
Kansas Climbs to No. 3 After Win Over Cincinnati
The Jayhawks secured a hard-fought 28-21 road victory over No. 16 Cincinnati, highlighted by a dominant defensive effort led by Logan Brantley. With the win, Kansas climbs to No. 3 in the CFP rankings, positioning themselves for a playoff push.

Pittsburgh Moves to No. 1 in CFP Rankings
Behind quarterback Eli Holstein's four touchdowns, the Panthers edged SMU 38-30 to take the top spot in the CFP rankings for the first time this season.

Notre Dame Falls To Virginia Tech
Despite Quarterback Kenny Minchey's three touchdowns the Irish lost to 28-23 Virginia Tech and are now sitting at No. 14.

Oklahoma State Returns to CFP Rankings
The Cowboys defeated Arizona 31-19 and now sit at No. 25 in the CFP rankings. Oklahoma State's defense came up big with key stops to seal the win.

National Players of the Week
Defensive: Logan Brantley, Kansas – 4 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery in a 28-21 win over Cincinnati.
Offensive: Lynel Billups-Williams, Miami (OH) – 9 receptions, 182 yards, 4 receiving touchdowns, and a rushing touchdown in a 48-31 win over Ohio.

College Football Playoff Top 25 Rankings

Rank	Team	W-L	Last Week	This Week
1	Pittsburgh	8-1	W 38-30 vs SMU	vs Boston College
2	Alabama	7-2	W 37-35 at Kentucky	at Florida
3	Kansas	8-1	W 28-21 at Cincinnati	vs Arizona
4	Clemson	7-2	W 28-10 at NC State	at Louisville
5	Ohio State	8-1	W 38-35 vs Nebraska	at Oregon
6	Nebraska	8-1	L 35-38 at Ohio State	at Northwestern
7	Tennessee	7-2	W 24-18 vs Texas A&M	vs South Carolina
8	Colorado	7-2	W 28-17 at Houston	at UCF
9	Michigan	8-1	W 45-28 vs Penn State	at Michigan State
10	Washington	7-2	W 31-7 at Rutgers	vs Penn State
11	Boise State	9-0	W 38-7 vs San Diego State	at Colorado State
12	Georgia	6-3	W 30-20 vs Florida	at Missouri
13	Texas A&M	7-3	L 24-18 vs Tennessee	---
14	Notre Dame	8-2	L 28-23 vs Virginia Tech	at UMass
15	Florida State	7-2	W 44-38 vs Georgia Tech	at Syracuse
16	Cincinnati	7-2	L 28-21 vs Kansas	at Kansas State
17	Oregon	7-3	W 56-14 vs UCLA	vs Ohio State
18	USC	7-2	L 42-25 vs Wisconsin	vs Indiana
19	UAB	9-0	W 45-42 at Temple	vs Tulsa
20	Penn State	7-2	L 45-28 vs Michigan	at Washington
21	Oregon State	7-2	L 30-11 at Virginia	vs Wake Forest
22	Wisconsin	6-3	W 42-25 vs USC	vs Iowa
23	Duke	6-3	L 35-31 at North Carolina	vs Stanford
24	Nevada	7-2	W 51-27 vs Washington State	vs San Diego State
25	Oklahoma State	6-3	W 31-19 vs Arizona	vs BYU

Dropped from rankings: Oklahoma 17, NC State 20, Arizona 21, Texas Tech 23, Auburn 25

Heisman Watch

Player	POS	Team	Last Game
Kenny Minchey	QB	Notre Dame	L 23-28 vs Virginia Tech, 333Yds 3TD
Christopher Vizzina	QB	Clemson	W 28-10 @ NC State, 165Yds 3TD 1Int
Eli Holstein	QB	Pittsburgh	W 38-30 vs SMU, 241Yds 4TD
Daniel Kaelin	QB	Nebraska	L 35-38 @ Ohio State, 229Yds 4TD 1Int
Donte Christmas	HB	Michigan	L 28-45 @ Penn State, 87Yds