For a 3rd consecutive week, the Kansas Jayhawks not solely selected chaos, however triggered it. And due to that, the jumbled-up Massive 12 Convention is as tangled as ever heading into the ultimate week of the common season.
Inside GEHA Subject at Arrowhead Stadium, the Jayhawks grew to become the primary staff in faculty soccer historical past with a dropping document to beat three consecutive High 25 groups by knocking off Deion Sanders’ Sixteenth-ranked Colorado Buffaloes 37-21.
Behind a dominant efficiency by senior working again Devin Neal, the Jayhawks (5-6, 4-4 Massive 12) had been relentless on the bottom, dashing 331 yards on a Buffaloes (8-3, 6-2) protection that had discovered its footing in current weeks. In his ultimate dwelling recreation, the native child ensured the followers in crimson and blue would have one thing to rave about. Neal accounted for 287 whole yards and 4 touchdowns within the upset of the Buffaloes.
For the primary time since 1968, Kansas achieved a three-game successful streak over ranked opponents. The Jayhawks’ late-season romp — which has additionally included wins over Iowa State and BYU — has despatched the Massive 12 additional into chaos. Colorado’s four-game successful streak is completed and the Buffaloes not management their very own future in attending to the convention title recreation.
Colorado should now beat Oklahoma State at dwelling subsequent Friday and scoreboard watch hoping for the right combination of outcomes from BYU, Arizona State and Iowa State.
After the sport, Sanders stated Kansas needed it extra.
“We had been smelling ourselves,” Sanders stated. “That’s on me.”
Sanders later added: “They will’t cease studying the stuff about who we’re. That’s powerful. So that you attempt to humble every little thing round you together with your self.”
However it was Kansas that humbled the Buffaloes on Saturday.
Even within the loss, Travis Hunter’s Heisman marketing campaign acquired a lift. Essentially the most dynamic participant in faculty soccer as soon as once more struck the Heisman pose at the back of an finish zone. It’s changing into commonplace for Colorado’s celebrity two-way participant, 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 college document. On protection, Hunter completed with seven whole tackles and had two cross breakups that had been near-interceptions.
In a convention name with media members earlier this week, Hunter confirmed that he’ll declare for the NFL Draft after this season and intends to play each methods within the NFL. Hunter has been the frontrunner on most Heisman Trophy watch lists all year long and has solely added to that together with his standout play in current weeks.
Devin Neal together with his FOURTH landing of the night time 💥
No FBS staff with a dropping document has ever received three consecutive video games versus ranked opponents, and Kansas is knocking on the door.
🎥 @CFBONFOX pic.twitter.com/ijrFRqyc2j
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) November 23, 2024
Devin Neal and Kansas couldn’t cease scoring
The Jayhawks scored on their first seven possessions of Saturday’s win over Colorado. 4 of these had been Neal touchdowns — three dashing, one receiving — and put KU in place to as soon as once more play spoiler and ship the Massive 12 title race spinning.
Just one different staff this season scored on their first seven possessions in a convention recreation, per TruMedia: NC State in a 59-24 win towards Stanford on Nov. 2.
Kansas was a stylish decide to be an element within the Massive 12 race however face-planted out of the beginning blocks. After a irritating begin that featured a five-game dropping streak, Kansas has roared again, and on Saturday, appeared so much just like the dynamic offense powered by two of the Massive 12’s largest stars of final season.
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Run protection run down
Colorado ranked outdoors the highest 100 in rush protection a 12 months in the past however, following the arrival of defensive coordinator Rob Livingston and an inflow of defensive position expertise from the switch portal, moved into the highest 40 this season.
It wasn’t fairly towards a resurgent Kansas offense.
The Jayhawks ran for 331 yards and Neal was continuously within the second and third ranges of the Buffaloes protection with runs of 31, 28 and 47 yards and a 51-yard catch on the Jayhawks’ opening landing drive. It was out of character for the Buffs, who earlier this season held the nation’s No. 2 dashing offense, UCF, to 177 yards on the Knights’ dwelling subject. The Buffs hadn’t given up greater than 185 yards in a recreation this season, both. However with a Massive 12 title and a berth within the Faculty Soccer Playoff nicely inside their grasp, the much-improved Colorado protection faltered.
“Dashing (protection) was alarming,” Sanders stated. “You’ll be able to’t win when a staff is dashing for 330 yards on you.”
Sanders stated Livingston referred to as a very good recreation, however the Buffaloes “gotta do what he referred to as.”
What does this imply for the Massive 12 and the Playoff?
The Massive 12 was already behind the 8-ball within the chase for one of many Playoff’s high 4 seeds — Oregon, Texas, Miami and Boise State would declare them based mostly on the choice committee’s present rankings — and Colorado’s loss will solely additional injury the Massive 12’s probabilities of getting a first-round bye.
May it result in the Massive 12 lacking the Playoff utterly? Solely the highest 5 ranked convention champions make it in. Colorado is prone to fall a number of spots within the rankings after its loss. And No. 14 BYU misplaced its second consecutive recreation, 28-23, to No. 21 Arizona State on Saturday, which is able to ship the Cougars tumbling as nicely.
No. 19 Military’s loss to No. 6 Notre Dame may knock the Black Knights down a couple of spots, however No. 20 Tulane — which is tied with Military for the American Athletic Convention lead — looms. Arizona State’s win may result in the Solar Devils leaping each of these staff’s in subsequent week’s Playoff rankings, which might hold the Massive 12 in place to get the Playoff’s fifth computerized bid.
Following Week 13, there’s a four-way tie atop the Massive 12 standings. Arizona State, BYU, Colorado and Iowa State are all tied at 6-2 in convention play. As a result of all 4 play totally different opponents, the league may wind up with a four-way tie atop the standings at season’s finish. If all 4 win subsequent week and are tied at 7-2, based on the Massive 12, Arizona State and Iowa State would play for the Massive 12 title.
(High picture: Ed Zurga / Getty Pictures)
