The Kansas Jayhawks started the season ranked in the Associated Press Top 25. But if their fortunes do not change soon, coach Lance Leopold’s team will find its season ending without a bowl bid.
After routing FCS squad Lindenwood 48-3 in the season opener, KU has lost its past four games. The Jayhawks have some winnable games remaining on the schedule, including this week. They’re only a three-point road dog for Saturday’s game at Arizona State, according to BetMGM Kansas Sportsbook. However, Kansas also has a three-game stretch coming up where it must go to Kansas State on Oct. 26, host Iowa State on Nov. 9, and then head to BYU a week later. All of those teams are currently ranked.
With the season nearly halfway over, BetKansas.com discovered on TeamRankings.com that the Jayhawks rank last among the 134 Football Bowl Division schools in a rather dubious category.
Bottom 10: Unluckiest College Football Teams
Rank | Team | Record | Luck Rating* |
1 | Kansas Jayhawks | 1-4 | -1.8 |
T2 | Auburn Tigers | 2-3 | -1.5 |
T2 | Rice Owls | 1-4 | -1.5 |
4 | Troy Trojans | 1-4 | -1.3 |
T5 | Florida State Seminoles | 1-4 | -1.2 |
T5 | Minnesota Golden Gophers | 2-3 | -1.2 |
T5 | South Alabama Jaguars | 2-3 | -1.2 |
T8 | Mississippi State Bulldogs | 1-4 | -1.1 |
T8 | Virginia Tech Hokies | 2-3 | -1.1 |
T10 | Baylor Bears | 2-3 | -1.0 |
T10 | UTEP Miners | 0-4 | -1.0 |
*Luck Rating based on TeamRankings.com
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While it seems odd that luck can be quantified, you don’t have to understand it to see why Kansas has been unlucky so far this season.
For starters, three of their losses have been by six points or less. The other –Saturday’s 38-27 defeat against TCU – came after the Horned Frogs scored the final 10 points over the last 11:20. In addition, Kansas has held a second-half lead in all four games, including three where they led in the fourth quarter.
Two losses have also occurred in the final minute. UNLV’s Kylin James scored a touchdown on a 1-yard run as time expired as the Rebels beat the Jayhawks 23-20 on Sept. 13. Eight days later, West Virginia’s Garrett Greene threw a 15-yard TD pass to Rodney Gallagher with 26 seconds left to lift the Mountaineers to a 32-28 victory over KU, which led 28-17 with less than four minutes remaining.
How Remaining KU Foes Rank For Luck
Can KU’s luck turn around over the next two months? After being picked fourth in the Big 12 media preseason poll, the school now has odds of +15000 at DraftKings Kansas Sportsbook to win the conference.
Speaking of luck, the same TeamRanking's index has future Kansas opponents BYU ranked No. 1 in luck, Colorado (whom it plats on Nov. 23) at No. 11 and Iowa State is No. 18. On the other hand, Houston, which KU will host on Oct. 19, is No. 107. Baylor, where KU travels for its regular-season finale on Nov. 30, is tied for the 10th-worst luck ranking.
BetKansas can’t help you with your luck, but we do offer reviews on all the legal Kansas sports betting apps in the Sunflower State.
USA Today photo by Denny Medley
