Lance Leipold is aware of KU’s past vs. K-State. Here’s his rivalry week approach
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Kansas acknowledges 16 straight losses to K-State and focuses on Saturday.
- Leipold stresses present work, urges players to finish games and close gaps.
- Fans, ticket sales and a renovated Booth stadium shape Kansas home-field momentum.
Don’t ask coach Lance Leipold how many consecutive games Kansas has lost to rival K-State.
He knows, his staff knows and certainly his team knows that the Jayhawks have lost 16 straight games in the series.
Kansas will look for its first win against the Wildcats since 2008 at 11 a.m. Saturday.
“This program is aware of how many games they’ve won in a row,” Leipold said. “I’m not going to act like they don’t. And we shared that with our players, as part of the process of where this is at.
“They can’t change what was done in the past. What you can change is what you do today, the work you put in and what you do on Saturday.”
There’s no doubt Kansas has come close to beating rival K-State in recent years. The Jayhawks lost 29-27 last season and 31-27 in 2023.
Since Leipold arrived in Lawrence four seasons ago, he’s believed that the game between KU and K-State (3-4, 2-2 Big 12) must be competitive to be considered a rivalry. He expressed that sentiment again Monday.
“We’ve had some opportunities that we’ve let slip away, and it’s our full intention that we find a way to close it out and finish the ballgame,” Leipold said.
Both teams enter Saturday after an off week. Before the bye, the Jayhawks (4-3, 2-2 Big 12) lost badly to Texas Tech while Kansas State beat TCU. The Jayhawks are 2.5-point favorites over the Wildcats. It’s the first time in 16 years that Kansas has been the favorite
Despite the fanfare surrounding the game, which is also the first Sunflower Showdown in the newly renovated David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, tickets are still available. According to the KU Athletics site, single-game ticket prices vs. K-State range from $96-$469.
Kansas has sold out two of four home games this season (Fresno State and Cincinnati). The game against Fresno State was the opening of the new stadium, while the game vs. Cincinnati was on Kansas’ family weekend.
KU is finally back in Lawrence after playing the last two games on the road. Leipold stated he was impressed with the atmosphere at UCF’s Acrisure Bounce House and Texas Tech’s Jones AT&T Stadium.
Both stadiums were loud and had plenty of traditions. Leipold noted the Jayhawks hope to create a similar atmosphere at “the Booth.”
“Fans in college football are more impactful than sometimes we can realize in creating that atmosphere,” Leipold said. “Yes, we have a renovated, two-thirds brand-new, shiny stadium that’s really impressive, but if we don’t have an environment in there, it’ll not be fully put to its use.”
Of course, Leipold knows for that to happen, the Jayhawks need to win games consistently. At the moment, Kansas is fighting to make a bowl game after a disappointing last season. KU went 5-7 in 2024.
“I get it. It’s important for us to play well and give our fans reason for us to be excited about our program, but for me, they kind of go together of what it can be,” Leipold said. “I hope we have a great atmosphere at 11 a.m. Saturday.”
This story was originally published October 20, 2025 at 3:57 PM with the headline "Lance Leipold is aware of KU’s past vs. K-State. Here’s his rivalry week approach."
