For a third consecutive week, the Kansas Jayhawks not only chose chaos, but caused it. And because of that, the jumbled-up Big 12 Conference is as tangled as ever heading into the final week of the regular season.
Inside GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, the Jayhawks became the first team in college football history to beat three Top-25 teams with a losing record. Kansas’ latest victim? Deion Sanders’ No 16-ranked Colorado Buffaloes.
Behind a dominant performance by senior running back Devin Neal, the Jayhawks were relentless on the ground, rushing 331 yards on a Buffaloes defense that had found its footing in recent weeks. In his final home game, the local kid ensured the fans in crimson and blue would have something to rave about. Neal accounted for 287 total yards and four touchdowns in the upset of the Buffaloes.
For the first time since 1968, Kansas achieved a three-game win streak over ranked opponents. After beating Iowa State at home two weeks ago before following it up with a win over BYU on the road, Kansas’ late-season romp has sent the Big 12 further into chaos. Colorado’s four-game win streak is done and the Buffaloes no longer control their own destiny in getting to the conference title game.
Colorado must now beat Oklahoma State at home next Friday and scoreboard watch hoping for the right mix of results from BYU, Arizona State and Iowa State.
Even in loss, Travis Hunter’s Heisman campaign gets a boost. The most dynamic player in college football once again struck the Heisman pose in the back of an end zone. It’s becoming commonplace for Colorado’s superstar two-way player, who hauled in 125 yards receiving and two touchdowns on eight receptions. Hunter eclipsed the 100-yard receiving mark for a sixth time this season, tying a single-season school record. On defense, Hunter finished with seven total tackles and had two pass breakups that were near-interceptions.
In a conference call with media members earlier this week, Hunter confirmed that he will declare for the NFL Draft after this season and intends to play both ways in the NFL. Hunter has been the frontrunner on most Heisman Trophy watchlists throughout the year and has only added to that with his standout play in recent weeks.
No FBS team with a losing record has ever won three consecutive games versus ranked opponents, and Kansas is knocking at the door.
Devin Neal and Kansas couldn’t stop scoring
The Jayhawks scored on their first seven possessions of Saturday’s win over Colorado. Four of those were Neal touchdowns — three rushing, one receiving — and put the Jayhawks in position to once again play spoiler and send the Big 12 title race spinning.
Only one other team this season scored on their first seven possessions in a conference game, per TruMedia: NC State in a 59-24 win against Stanford on Nov. 2.
Kansas was a trendy pick to be a factor in the Big 12 race, but face-planted out of the starting blocks. After a frustrating start that featured a five-game losing streak, Kansas has roared back and on Saturday, looked a lot like the dynamic offense powered by two of the Big 12’s biggest stars of last season.
Run defense run down
Colorado ranked outside the top 100 in rush defense a year ago but, following the arrival of defensive coordinator Rob Livingston and an influx of defensive line talent from the transfer portal, moved into the top 40 this season.
It wasn’t pretty against a resurgent Kansas offense.
The Jayhawks ran for 331 yards and Neal was frequently in the second and third levels of the Buffaloes’ defense with runs of 31, 28 and 47 yards and a 51-yard catch on the Jayhawks’ opening touchdown drive. It was out of character for the Buffs this season, who held the nation’s No. 2 rushing offense, UCF, to 177 yards on the Knights’ home field. The Buffs haven’t given up more than 185 yards in a game this season, either. But with a Big 12 title and a berth in the College Football Playoff well within their grasp, the much-improved Colorado defense faltered.
The Big 12 was already behind the 8-ball in the chase for one of the Playoff’s top four seeds — Oregon, Texas, Miami and Boise State would claim them based on the selection committee’s current rankings — and Colorado’s loss will only further damage the Big 12’s chances of getting a first-round bye.
Could it lead to the Big 12 missing the Playoff completely? Only the top five ranked conference champions make it in. Colorado is likely to fall multiple spots after its loss and No. 14 BYU lost its second consecutive game, 28-23 to No. 21 Arizona State on Saturday.
No. 19 Army and No. 20 Tulane, which were tied for the American Athletic Conference lead heading into the weekend, are still in contention for one of those bids. Arizona State’s win could lead to the Sun Devils jumping one or both of those teams in next week’s Playoff committee rankings unless Army beats Notre Dame. If the Black Knights pull that upset, all bets are off for the Big 12.
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