KANSAS PASS OFFENSE VS TEXAS PASS DEFENSE
The weakness of KU's passing game is that they keep changing quarterbacks. Carter Stanley will start this week and he's the third QB to start this year. The rotation of QBs hasn't been because guys are injured, it's simply because KU's QBs aren't playing well. Stanley probably has the weakest arm of the three. He got the start last week and managed the game fairly well. His arm strength is described to me as being average to below average so he's not a QB who is going to take a lot of shots downfield. Stanley is a freshman but people close to the Kansas program feel he's a bit of a gamer. LaQuvionte Gonzalez and Steven Sims are the top two wide receivers. Bobby Hartzog has been solid but has been dinged up the past couple weeks. Shakiem Barbel has been hot the last couple weeks.
Edge: Texas ***
KANSAS RUN OFFENSE VS TEXAS RUN DEFENSE
Ke’aun Kinner, a transfer out of Navarro Junior College, is the main guy. Taylor Martin, another kid from Texas (FW Dunbar), is probably the team's second-best rusher. Martin has some speed and can outrun people for TDs if he gets free - he's a legit 4.4 guy. Kinner was supposed to go to Iowa but switched to Kansas at the last minute. He's a smaller back who also has some wheels.
Edge: Texas ***
KANSAS OFFENSIVE LINE VS TEXAS DEFENSIVE LINE
Kansas' offensive line is starting to come together. It's a very young, inexperienced group overall. True freshman Hakeem Adeniji starts at left tackle and has been really good. Mesa Ribordy is a walk-on at center. He's a tough, hard-nosed player. Kansas will return 13 of its top offensive linemen next year so it's an extremely young group, but it is getting better of late.
Edge: Texas **
TEXAS PASS OFFENSE VS KANSAS PASS DEFENSE
Kansas' pass defense has been decent, ranking third in the conference in yards per game, although the pass efficiency defense has been bad. The corners are pretty average while the safety play is pretty good. Fish Smithson led the nation in solo tackles last year and is leading the team in tackles again this year. Keep an eye on true freshman safety Mike Lee. He should still be in high school but Kansas was able to get him on campus early.
Edge: Texas *
TEXAS RUN OFFENSE VS KANSAS RUN DEFENSE
Simply put, this part of Kansas' defense is not good and this is the area in which the defense has struggled the most. The Jayhawks are giving up 226 rushing yards per game. The defense is a little undersized and teams have been able to push them around. A lot of offenses have started games trying to throw and haven't had much success, so they've then switched to the run game and put up big numbers. This is a match-up that D'Onta Foreman should be able to exploit.
Edge: Texas ****
TEXAS OFFENSIVE LINE VS KANSAS DEFENSIVE LINE
Kansas is actually pretty good statistically on sacks and tackles for loss and the Jayhawks do have some good young pass rushers. Two kids from Texas are playing well - Dorance Armstrong (North Shore) is second in the conference in sacks and DT Daniel Wise (Hebron) has been effective. Kansas' defensive line is athletic but it's banged up coming into this week. The Jayhawks don't have a lot of depth and are pretty inexperienced so this matchup should favor Texas.
Edge: Texas ***
SPECIAL TEAMS
Kansas' punting game is below average. It's place-kicking game is the worst in the Big 12. Kansas is average on kick returns and dead last in the conference on punt returns. Texas' special teams haven't been great, but the Longhorns get the edge here.
Edge: Texas ***
INTANGIBLES
Really, does either team deserve an advantage here? Texas is bad on the road, Kansas is bad anywhere it plays. Neither team has much momentum coming into this game and both coaching staffs have struggled. Slightest of edges to Kansas since the Jayhawks are at home.
Edge: Kansas *
