The Kansas football team is winless in conference play through three games, but Lance Leipold will look to change the Jayhawks' fortunes as they fight to keep their postseason hopes alive. They'll return home after a two-game road trip to host a 4-2 Baylor squad.
Much like KU fans with Lance Leipold, Baylor supporters are quite unhappy with head coach Dave Aranda following an embarrassing 17-6 loss to TCU at home. The Bears have a lot to prove if they want to salvage their season this week.
KU opened as a slight home underdog, but sportsbooks truly view this contest as a toss-up. However, what does the ESPN Matchup Predictor forecast for Saturday? Here's what the computer model thinks a few days before kickoff.
Baylor at Kansas Football: ESPN Matchup Predictor Gives Prediction
Kansas is receiving a slight boost from playing the game at home, but even that isn't enough for the matchup predictor to sway the odds in the Jayhawks' favor.
ESPN Matchup Predictor Chances at Victory: Baylor 61.8%, Kansas 38.2%.
ESPN gives Baylor better than a three-fifths chance to come out victorious at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium this weekend.
Kansas on SI's Take
Both Kansas and Baylor find themselves at a bit of a crossroads with their respective head coaches. From the outside looking in, it's hard not to think Baylor fans are being a little dramatic with the frustration surrounding Dave Aranda considering the Bears are still 4-2. At the same time, I can understand where that frustration comes from.
The Bears have been extremely erratic behind quarterback DJ Lagway, who has had plenty of ups and downs under center. He finished the previous loss an awful 22-of-53 passing with no touchdowns and one interception.
However, this Jayhawk defense was just embarrassed by a middling K-State team that posted over 550 yards from scrimmage, including 359 on the ground. Just when it looked like DK McDonald's unit was starting to come alive, the defense showed some of the same issues that have plagued it throughout the past few seasons.
While a 1.5-point spread suggests the matchup predictor should be closer to 50-50, it'll be interesting to see how much the home crowd actually plays into this game. Given the lack of success from the program recently, it wouldn't be surprising if a lot of empty seats were spotted at the Booth.
If KU doesn't shoot itself in the foot multiple times like it has in recent weeks, the Jayhawks have what it takes to keep this one close throughout the afternoon. However, history has shown that Isaiah Marshall's mistake-prone nature and a leaky defense could be difficult obstacles to overcome.
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