Let's be real: being a fan of Kansas football has historically been a test of patience that would make a saint sweat. If you just glance at the all-time kansas jayhawk football record, you might see a sea of red ink and wonder how a program with such a legendary basketball pedigree could struggle so much on the grass.
But things changed. Recently, the narrative in Lawrence shifted from "when does basketball start?" to "can we actually make a New Year’s Six bowl?"
It’s been a wild ride. From the high of the 2008 Orange Bowl to the depths of winless seasons, and now the resurgence under Lance Leipold, the record is a living document of one of the most interesting rebuilds in college football history.
The Current State: Breaking Down the 2025 Kansas Jayhawk Football Record
Honesty is the best policy here. The 2025 season was a bit of a reality check for the program. After the absolute electric high of 2023, where the team finished 9-4 and bagged a Guaranteed Rate Bowl trophy, the 2025 kansas jayhawk football record finished at 5-7.
It feels like a step back. It kinda was.
But if you dig into the box scores, you see a team that was a few bounces away from a completely different winter. They went 3-6 in Big 12 play. That’s not great, sure, but look at the points. They actually scored more points (337) than they gave up (321) over the course of the season.
That is rare for a 5-7 team.
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Usually, if you’re losing seven games, you’re getting blown out. Not these guys. They beat Fresno State 31-7 to open the year and looked like world-beaters. Then they hammered West Virginia 41-10. But then the "one-score game" curse hit. Close losses to Cincinnati (37-34) and Arizona (24-20) basically sank the bowl hopes.
2025 Season Results at a Glance
- Overall Record: 5-7
- Big 12 Record: 3-6
- Home Record: 4-3
- Road Record: 1-4
- Biggest Win: 46-7 vs. Wagner
- Toughest Loss: 42-17 vs. Kansas State (The Sunflower Showdown still stings)
The Lance Leipold Era: A Statistical U-Turn
When Lance Leipold walked into the Anderson Family Football Complex in 2021, the program was, frankly, in shambles. They had just come off a 0-9 season under Les Miles. The culture was broken.
Leipold’s record at Kansas currently sits at 22-28.
On paper? Mediocre. In context? It’s a miracle.
He took a team that hadn't won more than three games in a decade and turned them into a group that went to back-to-back bowls in 2022 and 2023. That had only happened once before in Kansas history. Think about that. He managed to beat #6 Oklahoma in 2023, a win that still has people in Lawrence talking.
He’s basically the "program whisperer."
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Looking Back: The All-Time Kansas Jayhawk Football Record
If we’re going to talk about the kansas jayhawk football record, we have to look at the 125-year history. It's a long, winding road that started back in 1890.
As of the end of the 2025 season, the all-time record stands at 557-670-54.
Yeah, that’s a lot of losses. But the program has had its moments of absolute brilliance. You’ve got the Fielding Yost era in 1899 where they went 10-0. You’ve got the Mark Mangino years, specifically 2007, which remains the gold standard for KU football.
The 2007 Season: The Outlier
That year was magic. 12-1. An Orange Bowl victory over Virginia Tech. A #7 final ranking in the AP Poll. For one shining moment, Kansas was a football school. Aqib Talib was locking people down, and Todd Reesing was throwing dots. It proved that winning is possible in Lawrence if the right pieces are in place.
Bowl Game History
Kansas isn't a frequent flyer in the postseason, but when they go, they usually make it count. Their bowl record is a solid .500 at 7-7.
- 2023 Guaranteed Rate Bowl: Won 49-36 vs. UNLV
- 2022 Liberty Bowl: Lost 55-53 vs. Arkansas (A 3-OT heartbreaker)
- 2008 Insight Bowl: Won 42-21 vs. Minnesota
- 2007 Orange Bowl: Won 24-21 vs. Virginia Tech
- 1995 Aloha Bowl: Won 51-30 vs. UCLA
Rivalries and Why the Record Matters
The record against certain teams is what keeps fans up at night. The Sunflower Showdown against Kansas State has been one-sided lately. K-State has won 17 straight matchups. That is a massive weight on the Jayhawks' shoulders.
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Then there’s the Border War with Missouri. Even though they don’t play every year anymore, the history is deep. The 2025 matchup ended in a 42-31 loss for KU, keeping the Tigers slightly ahead in the historical tally (58-54-9 in favor of Mizzou).
What’s Next for the Jayhawks?
So, where do they go from here? The 2025 season felt like a "failed rebound," as some analysts put it, but the foundation isn't crumbling. They are currently rebuilding David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium into a world-class venue. The "Gateway District" is supposed to change the financial future of the program.
The record needs to reflect that investment.
If you’re tracking the kansas jayhawk football record for betting or just pure fandom, keep an eye on the injury report and the transfer portal. In 2025, the offense was elite at times but inconsistent. The defense kept them in games, but couldn't close the door on the road.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts:
- Watch the "One-Score" Stat: KU was 1-5 in one-score games in 2024 and similarly struggled in 2025. This usually regresses to the mean. Expect them to win more of those in 2026.
- Recruiting Trends: Leipold is winning battles for three and four-star recruits that KU used to lose to Iowa State or K-State. This talent gap is closing.
- Home Field Advantage: With the new stadium renovations nearing completion, "The Booth" is becoming a much tougher place for visitors to play.
The record is more than just wins and losses. It’s a measure of a program trying to find its soul in a transformed Big 12. They aren't the doormat anymore, even if 5-7 doesn't look like a trophy-winning season.
To get a better handle on where the team is headed, you should look at the returning production for 2026. Kansas has a high percentage of "super seniors" exiting, so the next recruiting cycle will be the biggest indicator of whether Leipold can sustain the momentum or if the 9-win season of 2023 was just a lightning-in-a-bottle moment. Check the official Big 12 standings and the NCAA transfer portal entries this spring to see how they're plugging the gaps in the secondary and the offensive line.