WVU football is not underestimating sub. 500 Kansas this weekend
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MORGANTOWN -- Kansas is currently last in the Big 12 and is 1-5. That one conference win, over Baylor, is the only Power Four win, too. The Jayhawks are 1-6 against Power Four teams, and sit at 3-6 on the season. Based on that, West Virginia football should have no problems this weekend at home against Kansas.
But if you looked at the spread this weekend, WVU, who is 5-4 and has multiple Power Four wins, opened as a -2.5-point favorite. If you consider home-field advantage for the Mountaineers, the game is essentially a pick-em.
Kansas' defense has played well enough to make each loss a close game. Three of the Jayhawks' losses were one-score games.
"Their record should be flipped without question," Rich Rodriguez said. "You talk about, I mean close, close on the last play of the game kind of stuff."
Kansas' defense is ranked eighth in the Big 12, allowing 24.8 points per game. More impressively, the defense has given up the fifth-fewest yards per game in the conference.
"I watched them on film, and I remember telling myself, 'Man, they’re really athletic.'" Rodriguez said. "Defense, I was watching more defense than offense; their defense has athletes everywhere. At all three levels. They got really good players."
Kansas' pass defense is what really stands out. It's second in the league. The pass rush and secondary are its strength.
The Jayhawks hit in the portal and landed Ball State transfer Roman Pearson leads the team with five pass breakups. Mississippi State transfer Elijah Cannon is just as good on the other side. He's broken up three passes. Returning defensive backs Jalen Todd and Austin Alexander bring experience to the group, creating a strong secondary.
Linebacker Trey Lathan was one of the best backers in the Big 12 last year, and he returned for another year. Lathan had a sack in the blowout loss last year. He's had a great 2026 and has 62 tackles, four tackles for loss and a sack and a half. He has four quarterback pressures, too.
Lathan works well with returning pass rusher Leroy Harris III. Harris is tied with Texas Tech's A.J. Holmes with 6.5 sacks for the most in the league. He is third with 14 tackles for loss. Rodriguez expects Harris to play on Sundays.
"Man, really athletic," Rodriguez said. "This guy’s an NFL guy. He’s big, got long arms, really aggressive, got a great get-off. He’s a problem... I’ve been really impressed with him. He’s kind of stood out. Remember when I first watched him, I was like, 'God, they got some athletes,' and he’s had a really good year for him."
Luckily, Kansas' defense isn't great at stopping the run, playing to the Mountaineers’ offensive game plan.
WVU has been running all over teams, even against some of the top rushing defenses. The Mountaineers have gained the sixth-most yards per game in the FBS behind the military academies, Rice and Texas State. WVU's rushing offense is the best in the Big 12.
Last season, the Mountaineers’ offense was held to 10 points in a blowout loss on the road to the Jayhawks. WVU's offense is much different this time around, and Rodriguez expects a much different outcome, especially since Kansas is 3-6.
The Mountaineers need a win to make a bowl game and to be .500 on the season. After Kansas, WVU hosts No. 14 Houston and No. 2 Utah left on the schedule, so the Jayhawks seem to be the only winnable game. Rodriguez doesn't think it'll be as easy as people think.
"They crushed us last year and all that," Rodriguez said. "We got to have a good week. Got to learn from this past game as best we can. It might be a little chilly, maybe a little snow on the ground on Saturday, getting ready to play."