Week One of the college football season is here. Kansas plays Lindenwood, and Heartland College Sports has your game prediction, preview, and betting odds ahead of the matchup.
GAME INFO
Thursday, August 29; 7:00 p.m. (CT); Childrens Mercy Park; Kansas City, Kansas
TV: ESPN+
Line: Kansas -43.5 and 58.5 O/U
Records: (2023) Kansas 9-4, Lindenwood 3-7
Last Week: N/A
Series History: Teams meeting for the first time
Last Meeting: N/A
Fun Fact: Lindenwood is entering its third season of Division 1 football, making their debut in the Ohio Valley Conference in 2024.
KEY PLAYERS
LINDENWOOD LIONS
QB NATE GLANTZ
Junior quarterback Nate Glantz is one that should ring a bell for fans of the Big 12. The Nebraska native started his career in 2022 with Matt Campbell and the Iowa State Cyclones before transferring to McNeese. After spending time at Iowa Western Community College, Iowa State, and McNeese, the junior signal caller transferred to Lindenwood, where he will suit up for the Lions.
DB TAYLEN BLAYLOCK
One of the leaders of the defensive back room at Lindenwood is junior Taylen Blaylock, who started his career at Sam Houston State. As a sophomore, Blaylock made the change to Lindenwood and led the team in interceptions with three. He also recorded 38 tackles, one fumble recovery, and three pass breakups last season with the Lions.
KANSAS JAYHAWKS
QB JALON DANIELS
One of the most anticipated debuts of the 2024 season surrounds none other than Kansas cornerback Jalon Daniels. The California native is entering his fifth season in Lawrence after suffering multiple season-ending injuries in the past. When healthy, Daniels is one of the best players in college football. His health and performance will be two major things to watch in Thursday’s game.
CB MELLO DOTSON
Mello Dotson forms one of the best secondary duos in all of college football in 2024 alongside veteran cornerback Cobee Bryant. While both players have made notable impacts in the past and have built some national hype, Bryant may be viewed just slightly ahead of Dotson in the minds of offensive coordinators. Dotson will likely be tested more than Bryant this fall, and his development is crucial to a Kansas defense looking to slow down the highly-flying Big 12 Conference.
KEY STORYLINES
LINDENWOOD LIONS
How far along is the program? With Thursday marking the debut game for the Lions as members of the Ohio Valley Conference and just the start of their third season in Division 1 football, Lindenwood enters the season with a tremendous amount of stress on their plate. While the 40+ point spread does not bode well for the Lions, their matchup performance could help prove to fans, coaches, and players alike that Lindenwood is here to stay.
KANSAS JAYHAWKS
What will Jalon Daniels look like in 2024? As I stated above, a healthy Daniels in a pain in the neck to game plan against, but the one ability Daniels struggles to show consistently is availability. The Jayhawks rebuilt their offensive line with some high-profile transfers this offseason, and in Daniels’ first full game back since Week 4 of the 2023 season against BYU, keeping him upright has to be the biggest focus of all on the field.
PREDICTION: KANSAS 49, LINDENWOOD 6
Since Lance Leipold arrived in Lawrence, the offense has been the showstopper. With a new offensive coordinator in the booth for Kansas, having a good showing early is crucial against an opponent like Lindenwood. Simply put, Kansas will be bigger, faster, stronger, and more dangerous than it ever has been in 2024. Kansas puts on a show in Week 1 and finds a way to live up to its preseason expectations.
