GAME INFO: Saturday, November 1, 2025 – Lawrence, Kansas – David Booth Memorial Stadium – 3:00PM Kick 

TV: ESPN+

Radio: Cowboy Radio Network

Records: 

Oklahoma State (1-7, 0-5)

Kansas (4-4, 2-3) 

Last Week:

Oklahoma State 0, Texas Tech 42

Kansas State 42, Kansas 17

Rankings:

Oklahoma State (NR)

Kansas (NR)

Line: Kansas -24.5

Series: 

Oklahoma State leads the series – 41-30-3 

Last Meeting: 

October 14, 2023 – Kansas 32, Oklahoma State 39

Storylines:

The Oklahoma State Cowboys travel north to Lawrence, Kansas, this Saturday, for a battle with the Kansas Jayhawks. Oklahoma State Defensive Coordinator, Clint Bowen, travels back to his old stomping grounds. Bowen, a University of Kansas alum and former Lawrence High football coach, will journey back to Lawrence to face his Jayhawk friends and he’ll look to stop a Jalon Daniels led, KU offense who can really get things moving if they get started. The Cowboys haven’t been impressive on defense, to say the least. The Poke defense flirts with allowing 300 passing yards per game for opposing offenses. That will, indeed, need to change, if Bowen and Oklahoma State’s defense want to play spoiler this Saturday. 

The Oklahoma State offense is ready to go with WR/QB, Sam Jackson V, if need be, though, Oklahoma State head coach, Doug Meacham, stated he hopes to have second-string QB, Zane Flores, back in the fold against the Jayhawks. Neither Jackson V or Flores has been that impressive, but Jackson V’s talent could also be used at wide receiver. Be it Zane or Sam, Oklahoma State will need to put up 20+ to have a shot at beating Kansas this week. 

The Jayhawks are coming off of a depressing defeat against Kansas State in the annual Sunflower Showdown. This season has been a bit mediocre for the 4-4 Jayhawks, as they look to at least make a bowl game, needing two wins in their last 4 to qualify. Lance Leipold has be very consistent in building up this Kansas Jayhawks program and, despite Big 12 championship aspirations to start the season, Leipold continues to build up Kansas brick by brick.

The Jayhawks are 24.5 point favorites in this game and should be okay against an Oklahoma State team who has lost 9+ players to the transfer portal and will again be without starting quarterback, Hauss Hejny, who left in the first quarter in Oklahoma State’s first game against UT Martin. It may realistically be Oklahoma State’s last chance to be on the right side of the win/loss column this season. Can Oklahoma State make defensive coordinator, Clint Bowen’s homecoming one to remember? We’ll find out at 3:00PM CT on Saturday. 

Players to Watch:

Oklahoma State Cowboys

(RB) Trent Howland -

The bruiser, the big back, the bowling ball, Trent Howland could be a key factor for Oklahoma State against Kansas. Quarterback, Zane Flores, could be back for Oklahoma State, but it hasn’t mattered who has been at quarterback for the Pokes this season. The air attack has been all but a threat. The success of the running game, however, has allowed the Cowboys to get a bit of movement going on offense. If the Cowboys stand a chance for an upset in this game, the Derrick Henry like Trent Howland will need to be the bruising punisher Cowboys fans have seen flashes of in previous games. 

(LB) Wendell Gregory - 

I’ve mentioned Gregory before this season. There’s good reason. Linebacker, Wendell Gregory is the most important player on the Oklahoma State defense. He has the potential to be everything, everywhere, all at once, and at any given time. I believe Oklahoma State Defensive Coordinator, Clint Bowen, will insert a QB spy and Gregory at times could be that guy. Who is going to slow down Kansas QB, Jalon Daniels?

Kansas Jayhawks

(QB) Jalon Daniels - Speaking of Daniels, he could have a very big day through the air and on the ground. Oklahoma State is giving up roughly 300 yards through the air and are notoriously bad against mobile quarterbacks. If Daniels can getting it moving on the outside with bootlegs or designed QB rushes, he could have a tremendous day. 

(S) Lyrik Rawls - 

Senior safety, Lyrik Rawls, has had a great season for the Jayhawks and leads the team in tackles, adding one interception. That’s not the storyline here, though. While Oklahoma State DC, Clint Bowen makes his return to Lawrence, Rawls faces his former team for the first time since departing Stillwater. I believe he’ll have a friendly chip on his shoulder facing his old team. Don’t be surprised if Rawls gets his second interception this Saturday. I’d almost bet on it. 

Prediction: Kansas 31, Oklahoma State 24

I believe the Oklahoma State Cowboys tease us with their closest conference win in a long time this week, but they eventually come up short. The Jayhawks are stout under Lance Leipold and, if this game was in Stillwater, I may have considered picking an upset. Oklahoma State may still cover, as defensive coordinator and Lawrence native, Clint Bowen makes his return to LFK.

While I’ll take the Jayhawks to win, this is Oklahoma State’s best chance to win a conference game for the rest of the year, in my opinion. That’s not a knock on Lance Leipold and the ‘Hawks, it’s just being real.