The 2018 Kansas Jayhawks football team represented the University of Kansas in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was the Jayhawks 129th season. The Jayhawks were led by fourth-year head coach David Beaty. They were members of the Big 12 Conference. They played their games at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, formerly Memorial Stadium. (The stadium was renamed following the Jayhawks 2017 season in December 2017 after a $50 million renovation was completed that was donated by Kansas alumnus David Booth).
The Jayhawks ended multiple losing streaks during the season, the longest being a 46 game road losing streak which ended with a 31–7 win over Central Michigan. The win also ended a 12 game losing streak against FBS opponents. With a 27–26 win over TCU, KU ended a 10 game losing streak against Big 12 teams. With back–to–back wins over Central Michigan and Rutgers, Kansas earned back-to-back wins against any opponent for the first time since 2011 and their first back-to-back wins over FBS opponents since 2009. Two other major losing streaks were still active at the end of the season, they have lost 44 consecutive road games in the Big 12 as well as 30 consecutive losses against teams ranked in the AP Poll. Following their 7th loss of the season to Kansas State, the Jayhawks became ineligible for a bowl game for the 10th consecutive season.
On November 5, Kansas athletic director Jeff Long announced that Beaty will not be retained as head coach but he was able to finish the season and was officially fired at the end of the season.
All-conference players lost Position Player 1st/2nd/ Reason TE Ben Johnson 2nd Graduation DL Dorance Armstrong 2nd Entered NFL draft
Returning all-conference players Position Player Year 1st/2nd/ DL Daniel Wise Sr. 1st OL Hakeem Adeniji Jr. HM WR/KR/PR Steven Sims Sr. HM DB Bryce Torneden Jr. HM K Gabriel Rui Sr. HM
Preseason
Big 12 media poll The Big 12 media poll was released on July 12, 2018 with the Jayhawks predicted to finish in last place receiving all last place votes.
Media poll 1 Oklahoma 509 (46) 2 West Virginia 432 (2) 3 TCU 390 (1) 4 Texas 370 (1) 5 Oklahoma State 300 6 Kansas State 283 (2) 7 Iowa State 250 8 Texas Tech 149 9 Baylor 125 10 Kansas 52
Schedule
Source:
Game summaries
Nicholls
At Central Michigan
Rutgers
At Baylor
Oklahoma State
At West Virginia
At Texas Tech
TCU
Iowa State
At Kansas State
At Oklahoma
Texas
References