Quarterback Jalon Daniels has been a Jayhawk for six seasons, and during his last ride, he has one last chance to beat Kansas State. It's been 16 years since the Jayhawks conquered their in-state rival in the Sunflower Showdown, but for Daniels, it's just another chance to compete with his team on the gridiron. 

The veteran Kansas quarterback is in the midst of his most efficient season yet, and the matchup against the Wildcats is just another chance for him to play the game he loves. Daniels was asked during Tuesday’s media availability if he feels any added pressure to beat rival Kansas State. 

“No, at the end of the day, I treat every single game like it's the next game at hand,” Daniels said. “I don't look too much into the rivalry or who we're going against… so I can't wait to go out there and play the game that I love to play Saturday.” 

Daniels is on pace to finish the best season of his career at Kansas. With 1,752 passing yards, 18 touchdown passes and just two interceptions, he has cemented himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the Big 12 Conference. Aside from the rivalry, Daniels will always remember his matchups against Kansas State because he scored his first college touchdown in the Sunflower Showdown. 

“My very first touchdown as a Jayhawk was against Kansas State,” Daniels said. “And that's something that I'm always going to remember. It was a rushing touchdown going to the right.” 

The last couple of Sunflower Showdowns have come down to the final possessions. This week, in preparation for the matchup, Kansas football has been focused on the last five minutes of the game. Daniels and the Jayhawks are looking to flip the script on Saturday. 

“A lot of the games against Kansas State every single year have been close,” Daniels said. “And it kind of just comes down to who makes the least amount of mistakes. So it's about being able to go out there and try to be able to play mistake-free football.”

The last five minutes of Kansas’ 29-27 loss to Kansas State last season have been playing in the Kansas football facility this week. Daniels mentioned he thinks about it every day. 

“I mean, they have the last five minutes of the game showing up in the building right now,” Daniels said. “So it's something that you see every single day as you wake up and you're pissed about it.”

Daniels and the Jayhawks will have a chance to flip the script and win the football Sunflower Showdown for the first time in 16 seasons on Saturday. Kickoff against the Wildcats is set for 11 a.m. CT inside David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, and the game will be broadcast on TNT and streamed on HBO Max.