Kansas Football Closes In—Will Kansas State’s Sunflower Showdown Dynasty Survive the Rising Threat?

There’s a buzz in the air this college football season that you can practically cut with a knife — and it’s centered on the age-old rivalry known as the Sunflower Showdown. Kansas, long the underdog with a daunting 16-game losing streak to Kansas State, appears closer than ever to snapping that dry spell. Now don’t get me wrong, the Wildcats haven’t quite hit their stride this year either, but the recent tight finishes hint at a shifting tide. Kansas State heads into Lawrence with more to prove than ever, fighting to keep their bowl hopes alive, while Kansas, riding newfound momentum under Coach Lance Leipold, smells the possibility of a breakthrough that could change the game for the Jayhawks’ program. The stage is set, the stakes are sky-high, and for these two teams, this Saturday’s clash isn’t just another game — it’s potentially a turning point that will resonate for years. LEARN MORE

MANHATTAN — The gap has been closing, and now might be the time to strike. This year’s Sunflower Showdown in Lawrence could finally be the year Kansas football breaks the streak.

After losing the first 14 of the ongoing 16-game losing streak by an average of 26.4 points, the Jayhawks have been within four points or fewer over the last two. Last year’s matchup required Kansas State to kick a game-winning field goal in the final minutes.

Kansas State hasn’t lived up to expectations this season. The Jayhawks’ program has momentum, fighting its way out of the cellar and into one that’s respectable, all while investing at a high level in today’s college football landscape.

If there was ever a time for Kansas to strike, it could be now.

Kansas State (3-4, 2-2 Big 12) will travel to Lawrence for an 11 a.m. matchup with Kansas (4-3, 2-2 Big 12) on Saturday, Oct. 25. The Jayhawks haven’t beaten the Wildcats since 2008.

Recent K-State performances have helped instill hope that the streak can extend to 17. The Wildcats had their best performance in a 41-28 win over TCU, entering their week off. They should have beaten Baylor a week after they beat UCF. Unless this week goes terribly wrong, it appears that the Wildcats’ team, which started 1-3, is behind them.

The Wildcats need the win if they want to battle back into bowl eligibility. They dug themselves into a deep enough hole already, and a loss here and a tough home matchup with Texas Tech next week could only put them deeper. They can’t put themselves in a position where they’ll need to come out on top in their last three games to crack six wins.

On the other side, Kansas coach Lance Leipold needs to get over this hump. He’s pulled off what was once seen as impossible, bringing the Jayhawks to relevance for the first time since Mark Mangino’s days. A win over the Wildcats and ending the Sunflower drought would be his latest milestone, and possibly his greatest.

Kansas probably doesn’t need the win to get bowl eligible, but a win over the Wildcats would be better than any victory in a Guaranteed Rate Bowl could be. The Jayhawks will win this game someday soon, and there may be no better time than now.

When the Wildcats and Jayhawks kick off, the pressure will be on both sides. For a few hours, no one will talk about the Wildcats’ poor start to the season or the Jayhawks’ possible pocketknife shenanigans.

Kansas’ day in this game is coming. Kansas State needs to make sure that the day is delayed by a year.

Wyatt D. Wheeler covers Kansas State athletics for the USA TODAY Network and Topeka Capital-Journal. You can follow him on X at @WyattWheeler_, contact him at 417-371-6987 or email him at [email protected]