The Kansas Jayhawks’ football program experienced some dark times over the last decade-plus. The team’s 37-16 win against No 18 Oklahoma State could be a turning point for the program, however. The win marked Kansas’s first victory against a ranked opponent in over 12 seasons. The 2010 college football campaign was the last time the Jayhawks won against a ranked team. It was the first time since 2005 that students in Lawrence got to see the Jayhawks win at home versus a ranked opponent.
Although the University of Kansas is more well-known for its basketball program, Jayhawks football stood out from the shadows in the 2000s. Head coach Mark Mangino lead the Jayhawks from 2002 to 2009 before departing. The portly Mangino collected 50 wins as head coach of the Jayhawks, the second most in the university’s history. Mangino is the only KU head coach after World War II to leave Lawrence with a winning record.
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Mangino was canned in 2009 due to derogatory remarks made to players. The Jayhawks’ record toward the end of his time in Lawrence didn’t help either. It was Mangino’s departure that was the catalyst to Kansas’s dip into the depths of college football Hell.
The Jayhawks were considered a laughingstock in the NCAA. Lawrence had become a football backwater once more and neighbors to stronger teams in the Midwest, including Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and the hated Kansas State Wildcats.
After Mangino’s departure in 2009, Kansas hired five different full-time coaches. The majority of the five head coaches struggled, and becoming bowl-eligible was merely a pipe dream. Kansas’s best season from 2010 to 2021 was a pitiful three-win campaign. The Jayhawks never won more than one conference game during the 2010-to-2021-time frame.
Head coach Lance Leipold took over the Kansas job in 2021 after working his way from the ground up. The former D-3 national championship-winning coach struggled in his first season in Lawrence, posting a 2-10 record. However, this season has been different, as the Jayhawks have already amassed six wins following their November 5th victory over Oklahoma State.
Leipold has already achieved more than Las Vegas sportsbooks expected. The Jayhawks were predicted to win under 2.5 games this season. Kansas is 6-3 following the win versus the Cowboys and is bowl-bound for the first time in over a decade.
The celebrations at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium were of a fanbase desperate for success. Fans stormed the field after the win to celebrate around the 50-yard line. After a few minutes of wild ecstasy, fans headed to the south endzone to tear down the goalposts. The goalposts were tossed in nearby Potter Lake.
Leipold could provide more wild celebrations in Lawrence. The Jayhawks’ win over OSU may be the start.