The McAlary Effect

[The JZA]

Looking forward to seeing what your team does against Utah, West Virginia & Kansas State

[djp73]

Big 12 Update
Week 0

Big 12 Headlines
West Virginia falls to East Carolina in upset

Big 12 Scores
East Carolina 37, West Virginia 30
Iowa State 33, Bowling Green 14
Texas tech 38, Colorado State 20

Big 12 Players of the Week
WVU MLB Ben Cutter 5Tkl, 1Int, 1FF, 2FR, 1TD
WVU WR Jarel Williams 7Rec 149Yds 1TD, 1Rush TD

Big 12 Standings

Team	W-L	PCT	CONF	PF	PA	HOME	AWAY	STREAK
Iowa State	1-0	1.000	0-0	33	14	1-0	0-0	W1
18 Texas Tech	1-0	1.000	0-0	38	20	1-0	0-0	W1
Arizona	0-0	0.000	0-0	0	0	0-0	0-0	0
Arizona State	0-0	0.000	0-0	0	0	0-0	0-0	0
Baylor	0-0	0.000	0-0	0	0	0-0	0-0	0
BYU	0-0	0.000	0-0	0	0	0-0	0-0	0
25 Cincinnati	0-0	0.000	0-0	0	0	0-0	0-0	0
16 Colorado	0-0	0.000	0-0	0	0	0-0	0-0	0
Houston	0-0	0.000	0-0	0	0	0-0	0-0	0
Kansas	0-0	0.000	0-0	0	0	0-0	0-0	0
11 Kansas State	0-0	0.000	0-0	0	0	0-0	0-0	0
Oklahoma State	0-0	0.000	0-0	0	0	0-0	0-0	0
TCU	0-0	0.000	0-0	0	0	0-0	0-0	0
Utah	0-0	0.000	0-0	0	0	0-0	0-0	0
UCF	0-0	0.000	0-0	0	0	0-0	0-0	0
14 West Virginia	0-1	0.000	0-0	30	37	0-0	0-1	L1

Big 12 Leaders

Category	Player	School	STATS
Pass Yards	Howie DiNapoli	Texas Tech	321
Pass TDs	Howie DiNapoli	Texas Tech	5
Rushing Yards	Caleb Largo/Jahiem White	TTU/WVU	48
Rushing TDs	Several Tied	--	1
Receiving Yards	Jarel Williams	West Virginia	149
Receiving TDs	Jason Llewellyn/T.J. West	Texas Tech	2
Tackles	Brenden Jordan	Texas Tech	9
Sacks	Miquel Dingle	Texas Tech	2.0
Interceptions	Jontez Williams	Iowa State	2

[djp73]

Looking forward to seeing what your team does against Utah, West Virginia & Kansas State

definitely tough games, could be the difference between a bowl game and a poor season

[djp73]

NCAA Update
Week 0

NCAA Headlines
#17 West Virginia loses to East Carolina to open season
Michigan State tops #18 Notre Dame
Texas thumps Ohio State 45-28

NCAA Players of the Week
WVU MLB Ben Cutter 5Tkl, 1Int, 1FF, 2FR, 1TD
Tulsa WR Joshua Smith 5Rec 143Yds 4TD

Coaches Poll
RK	LW	School(Votes)	Record	Points	Last Week	This Week
01	01	Georgia (31)	0-0	1,495	--	UCLA
02	02	Oregon (23)	0-0	1,321	--	Boise State
03	03	SMU (7)	0-0	1,252	--	Arizona
04	04	Texas A&M	0-0	1,212	--	7 Florida State
05	05	Clemson	0-0	1,166	—	@ LSU
06	06	Alabama	0-0	1,110	—	@ 17 West Virginia
07	07	Florida State	0-0	1,071	--	4 Texas A&M
08	08	Florida	0-0	1,071	—	@ NC State
09	09	Kansas State	0-0	987	--	Kent State
10	10	USC	0-0	903	—	Fresno State
11	11	Colorado	0-0	893	—	@ Georgia Tech
12	12	Michigan	0-0	816	—	Western Michigan
13	13	Duke	0-0	752	—	14 Tulane
14	14	Tulane	0-0	661	—	@ 13 Duke
15	15	Boston College	0-0	573	--	@ 25 Cincinnati
16	16	Virginia Tech	0-0	541	--	James Madison
17	17	West Virginia	0-1	526	L 30-37 @ East Carolina	6 Alabama
18	18	Notre Dame	0-1	516	L 22-30 vs Michigan State	@ Wisconsin
19	19	Charlotte	0-0	512	—	@ Syracuse
20	20	Ohio State	0-1	456	L 28-45 @ Texas	Ball State
21	21	Tennessee	1-0	378	W 24-13 @ Nebraska	Maryland
22	22	Miami	0-0	349	—	@ South Carolina
23	23	Texas Tech	1-0	340	W 38-20 vs Colorado State	Minnesota
24	24	UTSA	0-0	321	—	FCS Midwest
25	25	Cincinnati	0-0	229	—	15 Boston College

Others receiving votes: UCLA 228, Penn State 75, Maryland 27, Oklahoma 22, South Carolina 7
Dropped from rankings: None

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Preseason Heisman Watch
Player	POS	School	Last Game
Avery Johnson	QB	Kansas State	---
Kevin Concepcion	WR	NC State	---
Jeremiyah Love	HB	Notre Dame	14Car 36Yds, 1Rec 4Yds
Nico Iamaleava	QB	Tennessee	12/18 168Yds 1TD
Julian Sayin	QB	Ohio State	30/48 432Yds 2TD 1Int, 3Sck, 7Car 24Yds

[djp73]

Game Preview

0-0(0-0) | 0-0(0-0)
Saturday, September 5th 2026
David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium | Lawrence, Kansas
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UCF Top Players
SR TE Randy Pittman Jr
JR DT John Walker
SR ROLB TJ Bullard
SR CB Tre'Quan Fegans

[djp73]

Game Report

Kansas Defense Overwhelms UCF in 27-7 Season-Opening Win


07 | 27
0-1(0-1) | 1-0(1-0)
Saturday, September 5th 2026
David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium | Lawrence, Kansas
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|00|07|00|00|07
|03|14|03|07|27
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THOMPSON JR CELEBRATES AFTER CAPPING A 99 YARD DRIVE WITH A TOUCHDOWN RUN

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Lawrence, Kansas - The Kansas Jayhawks opened their 2026 season with a commanding 27-7 victory over UCF, led by a stifling defense that forced four interceptions and sacked UCF quarterback AJ Surace seven times. Despite some early offensive miscues, Kansas capitalized on big plays and strong rushing to pull away at Memorial Stadium on September 5.

Surace was productive for UCF, throwing for 331 yards and a touchdown, but his four interceptions were costly. The Kansas defense, led by safeties Brian Dilworth and Taylor Davis, who had 12 and 11 tackles respectively, never let the Knights gain momentum. Defensive linemen Lyle Carreon and Greydon Grimes each recorded 2.5 sacks, while Roddy Orr and Tony Terry added to the pressure with sacks of their own. The Jayhawks' secondary was opportunistic, with picks from Reynaldo Capers, Taylor Davis, Kaleb Purdy, and Jeremiah Moses.

Kansas quarterback Isaiah Marshall threw for 150 yards on 16-of-21 passing, with one touchdown and two early interceptions. Backup quarterback Brad Matlock made a quick impact, coming in during the second quarter to throw a 57-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Damien Keo on his very first attempt, finishing the game 3-of-4 for 67 yards.

On the ground, Kansas relied on Johnny Thompson Jr., who rushed for 120 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries. Thompson also caught four passes for 24 yards, making him a key contributor in both facets of the game. Keo made the most of his two catches, totaling 69 yards and a touchdown, while Avery Muamba chipped in 55 receiving yards on five catches and 23 rushing yards. Tight end Jaden Hamm was a reliable target, adding 48 yards on six catches.

Wide receiver Rashard Slay also played a crucial role, hauling in a 3-yard touchdown pass from Marshall to cap off an efficient Kansas scoring drive in the second quarter.
Kansas head coach Jordan McAlary praised his team’s resilience, especially the defense. “We made some mistakes early, but the defense really set the tone. Offensively, we hit our stride as the game went on, and I’m proud of how we responded,” McAlary said post-game.

UCF’s lone highlight came in the second quarter when AJ Surace connected with wide receiver Jordyn Bridgewater on a 3-yard touchdown pass. However, UCF struggled to protect Surace, who was under constant pressure from Kansas' defense, turning the ball over four times and getting sacked seven times.

Kansas delivered a crushing blow to UCF in the fourth quarter with a 99-yard drive that showcased their resilience and determination. After a critical defensive stand at the 1-yard line, the Jayhawks marched the length of the field, mixing effective runs and timely passes. Quarterback Isaiah Marshall connected with Johnny Thompson Jr. for a crucial 12-yard gain to get out to the 26. He followed that up a few plays later with an 18-yard strike to Keaton Kubecka, pushing the Jayhawks further down the field to the UCF 32. Thompson Jr. was a huge part of the drive, carrying the ball eight times for 48 yards, capping the drive with a 6-yard touchdown run. The methodical drive ate up the clock and put the final nail in UCF’s coffin, sealing Kansas' 27-7 victory.

Kansas’ defense and balanced offensive attack ensured they controlled the game’s tempo. Shaq Durham added consistency with two key field goals, helping Kansas pull away in the second half. Tony Terry forced a fumble, which was recovered by Lyle Carreon, sealing UCF’s fate late in the game.

Kansas looks to build on this season-opening performance as they prepare for Missouri, while UCF will need to regroup after a tough start to their 2026 campaign.

Additional Media










Scoring Summary
1Q KU Shaq Durham 27 Yd FG
2Q KU Rashard Slay 3 Yd pass from Isaiah Marshall (Shaq Durham kick)
2Q KU Damien Keo 57 Ydpass from Brad Matlock (Shaq Durham kick)
2Q UCF Jordyn Bridgewater 3 Yd pass from AJ Surace (Vonn Thomas kick)
3Q KU Shaq Durham 43 Yd FG
4Q KU Johnny Thompson Jr. 6 Yd run (Shaq Durham kick)

Key Statistics

Passing – I. Marshall 16/26 150Yds 1TD 2Int, B. Matlock 3/4 67Yds 1TD
Rushing – J. Thompson Jr 22Car 120Yds 1TD, A. Muamba 8Car 23Yds, G. Jue 6Car 15Yds, H. Stewart 2Car 9Yds, I. Marshall 7Car 9Yds
Receiving – D. keo 2Rec 69Yds 1TD, A. Muamba 5Rec 55Yds, J. Hamm 6Rec 48Yds, J. Thompson Jr 4Rec 24Yds, K. Kubecka 1Rec 18Yds, R. Slay 1Rec 3Yds 1TD
Tackles – B. Dilworth 12, T. Davis 11, D. Cantrell 8, R. Orr 8
Sacks – L. Carreon 2.5, G. Grimes 2.5, T. Terry 1.0, R. Orr 1.0, M. Calvin 0.5
Takeaways – R. Capers 1Int, T. Davis 1Int, K. Purdy 1Int, J. Moses 1Int, T. Terry 1FF, L. Carreon 1FR
Special Teams – S. Durham 2/2FG 3/3XP, D. Greaves 5Pt 47.4Avg, A. Muamba 1KR 14Yds 2PR 16Yds


Passing – A. Surace 28/44 331Yds 1TD 4Int
Rushing – T. Jones 12Car 68Yds
Receiving – J. Bridgewater 9Rec 123Yds 1TD, R. Pittman Jr 6Rec 85Yds
Tackles – G. Grimm 19, C. Zellwood 12, T. Bullard 11, C. Ellis 10
Sacks – T. Bullard 1.0, E. Yeast 0.5, M. Estandia 0.5, J. Walker 0.5
Takeaways – T. Fegans 1Int, C. Johnson 1Int
Special Teams – V. Thomas 0/1FG 1/1XP, A. Durant 3Pt 39.0Avg, B. Staley 2KR 41Yds, T. Jones 3PR 19Yds
Up Next

[djp73]

Game Preview
Game Report
Radio Show
Big 12 Wrap Up
National Wrap Up
Recruiting Update

[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 turnovers
"Winning the turnover battle was a huge focus for us this week," said Kansas head coach Jordan McAlary. "We always want to protect the football on offense, but sometimes things don’t go perfectly. Fortunately, our defense stepped up and got us five takeaways. Those guys really set the tone, and it was a game-changer. When you’re on the right side of the turnover margin like that, you put yourself in a great position to win."

On the Jayhawks' seven sacks
"Our defense was relentless today," said Kansas head coach Jordan McAlary. "Seven sacks is a testament to the energy and effort those guys brought to the field. They were disruptive, they were physical, and they played with a real chip on their shoulder. When you can get that kind of pressure on the quarterback, it changes the whole game."

On using two quarterbacks
"We’re fortunate to have both Isaiah and Brad because they each bring something unique to the table," said Kansas head coach Jordan McAlary. "Isaiah’s athleticism and ability to extend plays give us a dynamic edge, while Brad’s experience and field vision allow us to execute with precision. Using both of them gives us flexibility and keeps the defense guessing. They push each other, and it’s helping us improve as a team."

About the run game
"We want to keep our rushing attack strong, and having multiple backs who can step up is key for us," said Kansas head coach Jordan McAlary. "Johnny Thompson Jr. had a big game today, and he’s been working hard to make those moments happen. Using multiple backs keeps fresh legs on the field and gives us different looks to throw at the defense. We’re going to keep building on that approach to stay balanced and physical in every game."

On areas of improvement
"Third down was a tough spot for us today," said Kansas head coach Jordan McAlary. "We struggled with efficiency, and a lot of that came down to getting ourselves stuck in third-and-long situations. We’ve got to clean up those early downs so we’re not facing uphill battles. Going forward, we’ll focus on staying ahead of the sticks and setting ourselves up for more manageable conversions."

[djp73]

Big 12 Update
Week 1

Big 12 Headlines
Minnesota upsets Texas Tech
Baylor blanked by Auburn
ECU makes it two straight against Big 12 with blowout win over BYU
Bowling Green shocks Sun Devils
Georgia Tech tops Colorado on game's final play

Big 12 Scores
Kansas State 49, Kent State 21
Iowa State 20, Georgia Southern 14
TCU 24, UNC 17
Cincinnati 28, Boston College 24
Auburn 24, Baylor 0
Minnesota 34, Texas Tech 14
Oklahoma Sate 27, Tulsa 17
East Carolina 31, BYU 3
SMU 21, Arizona 16
Utah 23, Utah State 17
Kansas 27, UCF 7
Alabama 28, West Virginia 21
Georgia Tech 41, Colorado 38
Bowling Green 38, Arizona State 20

Big 12 Players of the Week
Kansas DE Greydon Grimes 7Tkl, 2.5Sck
Kansas State QB Avery Johnson 21/23 382Yds 5TD

Big 12 Standings

Team	W-L	PCT	CONF	PF	PA	HOME	AWAY	STREAK
Kansas	1-0	1.000	1-0	27	07	1-0	0-0	W1
Arizona	0-1	0.000	0-0	16	21	0-0	0-1	L1
Arizona State	0-1	0.000	0-0	20	38	0-1	0-0	L1
Baylor	0-1	0.000	0-0	00	24	0-0	0-1	L1
BYU	0-1	0.000	0-0	03	31	0-0	0-1	L1
16 Cincinnati	1-0	1.000	0-0	28	24	1-0	0-0	W1
23 Colorado	0-1	0.000	0-0	38	41	0-0	0-1	L1
Houston	0-0	0.000	0-0	00	00	0-0	0-0	--
Iowa State	2-0	1.000	0-0	53	28	1-0	1-0	W2
11 Kansas State	1-0	1.000	0-0	49	21	1-0	0-0	W1
Oklahoma State	1-0	1.000	0-0	27	17	0-0	1-0	W1
TCU	1-0	1.000	0-0	24	17	1-0	0-0	W1
24 Texas Tech	1-1	0.500	0-0	52	54	1-1	0-0	L1
Utah	1-0	1.000	0-0	23	17	1-0	0-0	W1
West Virginia	0-2	0.000	0-0	51	65	0-1	0-1	L2
UCF	0-1	0.000	0-1	07	27	0-0	0-1	L1

Big 12 Leaders

Category	Player	School	STATS
Pass Yards	Howie DiNapoli	Texas Tech	581
Pass TDs	Howie DiNapoli	Texas Tech	6
Rushing Yards	Johnny Thompson Jr	Kansas	120
Rushing TDs	R. Becht/I. Augustave	Iowa State/Colorado	2
Receiving Yards	Jarel Williams	West Virginia	231
Receiving TDs	Several tied	--	2
Total Tackles	George Grimm	UCF	19
Sacks	L. Carreon/G. Grimes	Kansas	2.5
Interceptions	Jontez Williams	Iowa State	3

[Google[Bot]]

how u liking kansas? their uni's are dope