No. 22 Kansas opens season against Lindenwood at Children's Mercy Park, the home of Sporting KC

Lindenwood at No. 22 Kansas in Kansas City, Kan., Thursday, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN+)

BetMGM College Football Odds: No line.

Series record: First meeting.

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

No. 22 Kansas will try to get off to a fast start against Lindenwood, a school from St. Charles, Missouri, that became a full member of the Championship Subdivision last year. The Jayhawks are coming off a nine-win season highlighted by a win over UNLV in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl. They return quarterback Jalon Daniels, who missed most of last season with a back injury, along with most of their top wide receivers and running back Devin Neal, who is coming off his second 1,000-yard plus season. Lindenwood went 3-7 and finished last in the Ohio Valley last season. The game will be played at Children’s Mercy Park, the home of MLS club Sporting Kansas City, due to the construction of the Jayhawks’ on-campus stadium.

KEY MATCHUP

Jalon Daniels against the Lindenwood defense. Daniels has been spectacular when he’s been healthy, but that was only for three games last season. He completed nearly 75% of his throws for 705 yards with five touchdowns and only one interception in those games. He has the benefit of experienced WRs in Quentin Skinner, Lawrence Arnold, Trevor Wilson and Luke Grimm.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Lindenwood: DL Kobe McClendon will be a good test for the Jayhawks’ new and unsettled offensive line. He had 32 tackles last season, including 9 1/2 for loss, while his 6 1/2 sacks led the team. DB Kanyon Walker was the lone Racer to land on one of the preseason all-Missouri Valley teams. He transferred last season from Tulane and finished fourth on the team with 54 tackles.

Kansas: Cobee Bryant and Mello Dotson form one of the best cornerback tandems in college football. They have combined to make 64 starts with 16 interceptions, the most of any duo in the country. Eight of those came last season.

FACTS & FIGURES

Lindenwood will be playing against a Bowl Subdivision opponent for the first time. … The Lions were picked to finish eighth in the Big South-OVC preseason poll. … Kansas opened on Friday nights the past three seasons. The game in Kansas City, Kansas, is its first in the metro since 2011. … Neal had 3,077 yards rushing for his career. He needs 765 to break June Henley’s school career record. … Daniels has a career completion percent of 63.6, slightly better than the school record of 63.3 set by Todd Reesing from 2006-09. … Kansas allowed 378.2 yards and 26.5 points per game last season, the best marks for both since the 2007 season. … Leipold is coming off back-to-back bowl appearances, something only accomplished twice in school history. He is 163-60 overall with six Division III national championships.

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