Kansas might have the worst offense in the Big 12.
In fact, the Jayhawks have one of the worst offenses in college football. Last year, they finished 106th out of 128 teams in total yards and 120th in points.
The last non-conference game of the season for Kansas could be a major turning point — wins will be tough to come by in the following weeks.
For the Jayhawks to come out of Athens with a win, what would be their first road win in 41 games, they'll have to run the ball better than they did last year. Ohio's front seven held Kansas to just 26 yards on 15 carries.
Breakdown
Kansas' star wideout, Steven Sims Jr., had a breakout game against Southeastern Missouri State in the first game of the year.
Despite the fact that the Jayhawks faced an FCS opponent, Sims dominated.
He caught four passes for 142 yards and two touchdowns. So it makes complete sense that Sims hurt his ankle against Central Michigan and missed the majority of the game.
“We think that Steven is going to be available this week, which is good,” coach David Beaty said in a Tuesday press conference, according to the Kansas student newspaper, The University Daily Kansas. “He seems to be doing a lot better.”
With him in the fold, he'll help out a Kansas passing attack that needs him.
"He's a good guy," cornerback Bradd Ellis said. "Smart, good route runner, gets in and out of breaks quick. He's going to be a tough matchup, but we've prepared enough, we know what we need to do to stop him."
At the 1:45 mark of this YouTube video, the Jayhawks line up in their typical pistol set. Often times, they'll line up with an offset fullback, slightly ahead and to the left or right of the running back.
Central Michigan counters with a 4-2-5 look against the Kansas pistol.
Quarterback Peyton Bender runs the play-action pass and looks downfield toward the Chippewas, running a zone defense.
Bender throws a pass to wide receiver Quan Hampton, who makes a great catch in coverage. Bender has found his tight end Ben Johnson as his most reliable target this year, as Johnson leads the team with 10 receptions for 147 yards in two games.
Judgement
Ohio will have to be prepared for trick plays and an air raid attack on Saturday afternoon.
It shouldn't be anything the Bobcats can't handle, though. Ohio's defense should be able to squash any concerns of a Kansas upset win in Athens, as long as the Bobcats can play to the level they're capable of.
