Kansas Football: Jayhawks Cruise With Dominant Week 1 Win Over Wagner

If our Week 1 football preview, we discussed Wagner would be able to take advantage of a potential trap game situation for the Kansas Jayhawks. That proved to be the case early and often on Friday night as Kansas throttled Wagner, 46-7.

College Football: Kansas Jayhawks vs. Wagner Seahawks Week 1 Recap

The Jayhawks gained 196 yards and found the end zone three times on their first four possessions of the game. The Seahawks’ first four possessions resulted in just eight yards (excluding the 15-yard targeting penalty) and four punts. Kansas scored on six of its first eight possessions, highlighted by a 62-yard bomb to Emmanuel Henderson, and cruised to another easy win.

The only real hiccup was late in the first half. The defense gave up a 45-yard touchdown pass on fourth down, followed by a Jalon Daniels interception in the end zone on the ensuing possession. If Daniels converts on that pass and Johnny Thompson doesn’t fumble on fourth and goal early in the fourth quarter, this would have been an even bigger margin of victory. Still, it was a second straight dominant win for the Jayhawks to open the season.

Another Daniels Masterclass

Aside from that one interception, Jalon Daniels was once again phenomenal. He completed 18-of-25 passes for 280 yards and four touchdowns in just two quarters (plus one possession) of play. Daniels wasn’t used as much in the run game, likely to preserve him in a game that didn’t require him to take a bunch of hits. He had just three carries for 18 yards.

In Week 0, his favorite target was Cam Pickett. This time around, Emmanuel Henderson got the most looks. Henderson grabbed six passes for 130 yards and a pair of scores, including the deep connection with Daniels. He had three catches of 20-plus yards and drew a pass interference on another deep pass. His ability to stretch the field will be a major weapon for Daniels and the Kansas offense.

Suffocating Defense Thrives Again

Last week, the Kansas defense held Fresno State to just 216 yards and 13 first downs. In Week 1, Kansas was even better against Wagner.

The Seahawks managed a measly 143 yards and six first downs. If you take out their lone touchdown drive, the totals drop to 68 yards and three first downs. They had eight three-and-outs, with six of those resulting in less than three yards gained.

Wagner quarterback Jack Stevens averaged just 4.5 yards per pass attempt and 2.4 yards on pass attempts that weren’t the 45-yard touchdown. On the ground, the Seahawks gained just 1.9 yards per carry on 28 attempts (53 yards).

The Kansas front seven once again suffocated and dominated the opposing offense. D.J. Withers collected a pair of sacks and Leroy Harris added a third. Withers and Trey Lathan both had multiple tackles for loss, while five others notched at least half a tackle for loss. They didn’t force any turnovers, but it didn’t really matter with how good they were at limiting yardage for Wagner to flip the field.

Up Next: The Border War

Arguably the biggest game on the Kansas schedule is on the horizon. For the first time since 2011, Kansas and Missouri will wage war on the football field. One of the oldest rivalries in sports will reignite when the Jayhawks travel to Columbia to take on Beau Pribula and the Tigers.

Missouri is also coming off a dominant win over an FCS opponent, throttling Central Arkansas 61-6 on Thursday night. Pribula totaled 348 yards and four touchdowns as the Tigers scored points on their first seven possessions of the game.

This game has shootout potential written all over it. Daniels has seven touchdowns to just one interception to start the season and the Tigers flexed their offensive muscles just as much in their lone game. This is a matchup that could come down to whichever defense makes an extra stop or collects an extra turnover. Either way, it will be a game fill with hatred, intensity, and animosity.