2 Superb Offenses Battle as Jayhawks Take on Rebels

Luke Grimm — © Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY SPORTS

The Kansas Jayhawks (1-1) welcome the UNLV Rebels (2-0) to Children's Mercy Park at 7 p.m. EST on Sept. 13. After a frustrating 23-17 loss to the Illinois Fighting Illini (2-0), the Jayhawks need a statement performance at home in order to get back into Big 12 Conference title contention status. It will not come easy, as the Rebels are white hot coming into this contest.

What's at Stake

Gross mismanagement and a sloppy performance from quarterback Jalon Daniels set off early alarm bells among the Jayhawk faithful. A strong performance in this game could silence doubters and put the Jayhawks right back into the conversation of Big 12 title contender.

For the Rebels, going undefeated in nonconference play puts their confidence at an all-time high and pins them as early favorites for that Group of 5 College Football Playoff spot.

Key Players: Kansas Jayhawks

The Jayhawks had a less-than-satisfactory performance from their offense against Illinois. Daniels had the worst game of his career to this point, the run game was criminally under-utilized and overall they just couldn't get anything going. What will come of this week?

Devin Neal, Running Back

Neal had 14 carries last week but for 101 yards and a 7.2 yards per carry average. Offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes said that he "Has to do a better job of getting them (Neal and fellow running back Daniel Hishaw) the ball in crunch time." UNLV has the 10th-best rush defense in the nation, but expect them to get tested by the duo of Neal and Hishaw after not being featured a lot.

Cobee Bryant, Cornerback

Bryant will be the one called on to cover UNLV star receiver Ricky White III as he was last year in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl. Shut down White and the Rebels will have to rely a lot more on their run game, which is a "by committee" affair with no one really sticking out. Being a Jim Thorpe and Bednarik Award candidate, Bryant should handle business against that nicely even with White being a Biletnikoff Award candidate himself.

Luke Grimm, Wide Receiver

Daniels had some major accuracy issues last week, but one guy he missed far less than anyone was Grimm. Grimm is Daniels's top target, which has shown with 15 receptions for 151 yards and 2 touchdowns in the first two games. If Daniels is to gain his confidence back, Grimm will be the guy to help him to that goal.

Key Players: UNLV Rebels

Slowing down this Jayhawks' offense will be the Rebels' main goal, but having their No. 21-ranked offense stay the course will also help immensely in coming home with a win.

Ricky White III, Wide Receiver

White was mentioned previously, but his accolades cannot be understated. Arguably the best Group of 5 receiver, he will be the primary player for this contest as well for the Rebels. White has 7 receptions for 122 yards and 3 touchdowns in 2024 and is poised for another big year.

Jackson Woodard, Linebacker

Woodard will be the player who stops the vaunted Jayhawks' run game. He has 12 tackles, 4 tackles for loss and 3 sacks, quickly allowing him to rise in the ranks of best linebacker. Should the Rebels slow down this run game, Woodard will be the likely catalyst.

Jalen Catalon, Safety

Catalon, like Xavier Scott for Illinois last week, could have a huge game if Daniels's accuracy issues persist. Catalon has 2 interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown against the Houston Cougars (0-2) along with a pass deflection. He is the leader in this Rebel secondary, which will be tested against some experienced and talented Jayhawks receivers.

Another Shootout on Deck?

The last time these two teams met, it ended in a 49-36 barn burner. Both teams return a lot of starters from that 2023 contest but have questions about quarterback accuracy. Will we see the same fireworks that we saw in 2023? It will depend on which version of each of these quarterbacks shows up.

Both UNLV's Matthew Sluka and Daniels have shown they can be explosive passers. However, both have completion rates below 50 percent in 2024. Against these secondaries, the run games may win it for either offense. The Jayhawks have a far superior run game and a stronger offensive line. As of now, the Jayhawks will win off that. Kansas wins 31-24.