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KU’s revised football schedule front-loaded with Big 12’s best

Indiana-St-Kansas-Football
Posted at 11:37 AM, Aug 12, 2020
and last updated 2020-08-12 14:11:01-04

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Les Miles’ second season at the University of Kansas will feature five road games during conference play, according to a revised schedule released Wednesday by the Big 12.

The adjusted schedule delays the start of conference play until Sept. 26 when the Jayhawks are slated to travel to Waco, Texas, for a showdown with Baylor.

The Bears played Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship Game last winter.

KU, which starts conference play with four of its first six games on the road, also drew a road game with the Big 12 champion Sooners on Nov. 7.

The Jayhawks play all six of the teams that finished last season above .500 in conference play during the first seven games of the revised 2020 schedule, including the Sunflower Showdown on Oct. 24 against Kansas State at Bill Snyder Family Stadium in Manhattan.

Kansas hosts Oklahoma State on Oct. 3 and plays at West Virginia — the only team to finish below .500 in conference last season among the first seven opponents — on Oct. 17 after the season’s first bye week.

The Jayhawks host Iowa State on Oct. 31 and return from a bye week to host Texas on Nov. 21 before finishing the regular season with games against TCU on Nov. 28 at Memorial Stadium and at Texas Tech on Dec. 5.

The 2020 Big 12 Championship Game is tentatively scheduled for Dec. 12.

Kansas previously announced an Aug. 29 game against Southern Illinois, which replaced a game against New Hampshire that was canceled.

But under the Big 12’s new schedule, non-conference games must be played Sept. 12 or Sept. 19. It’s unclear when the Jayhawks might play a non-conference game and who that opponent would be now.

An athletic department spokesman confirmed to 41 Action News that KU plans to play its allowed non-conference game, which will be announced when details are finalized.

Kansas went 3-9 overall and 1-8 in conference during Miles' first season.

The season remains tenuous unless the pandemic is better controlled. Medical experts worry it will get worse as the seasons change and flu season arrives.

"Our protocols require diligence by our student-athletes, coaches and staff, with more frequent testing each week and additional health monitoring measures," Athletic Director Jeff Long said in a statement. "Further, we need all of our fans to help us by wearing masks, social distancing and following all of the state and county health department requirements."

2020 KANSAS FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

Home games in bold
Sept. 26 at Baylor
Oct. 3 Oklahoma State
Oct. 17 at West Virginia
Oct. 24 at Kansas State
Oct. 31 Iowa State
Nov. 7 at Oklahoma
Nov. 21 Texas
Nov. 28 TCU
Dec. 5 at Texas Tech