There is something uniquely visceral about listening to KU football on the radio. You’re driving down I-70, the sun is hitting the limestone cuts through the Flint Hills, and the signal starts to fuzz just a little bit before the local affiliate kicks in with that familiar, gravelly excitement. While everyone else is squinting at a laggy stream on their phone or trying to find which specific cable tier carries the latest Big 12 matchup, the radio broadcast remains the most reliable, soul-stirring way to experience Kansas football. It isn't just about convenience; it’s about the narrative.
Brian Hanni, the "Voice of the Jayhawks," brings a specific kind of energy that you just don’t get from a neutral national TV announcer who probably spent more time researching the opponent's backup punter than the culture of Lawrence.
Honestly, the radio broadcast is the heartbeat of the program. It bridges the gap between the dark years and the current resurgence under Lance Leipold. When you listen to a game, you aren't just hearing play-by-play. You’re hearing the history of David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium—and currently, the temporary excitement of games at Arrowhead or Children's Mercy Park while the "Gateway District" undergoes its massive $448 million renovation.
The Logistics of Finding KU Football on the Radio
If you’re trying to find the game, you’re looking for the Jayhawk Sports Network. It’s a massive web of affiliates. Basically, Learfield manages the whole thing, ensuring that whether you are in Goodland or Garden City, you can hear the kick. In Lawrence, the flagship is usually KLWN (1320 AM/101.7 FM) or the powerhouse 105.9 KISS FM. If you're up in Kansas City, you’re likely toggling between WHB 810 AM or sometimes 96.5 The Fan, depending on the specific scheduling conflicts with other pro sports.
The network covers a staggering amount of ground. It’s not just a couple of towers in Douglas County. We’re talking nearly 40 stations.
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For those who have moved away—the alumni in Denver, Dallas, or Chicago—the digital age has made KU football on the radio even more accessible. You don’t need a shortwave setup anymore. The KUAthletics app is the most direct route, but plenty of folks just use the Varsity Network app. It’s free. It’s clean. Most importantly, it doesn’t have the 30-second delay that sometimes plagues third-party streaming sites.
Why the "Home Call" Beats the TV Broadcast
Television is great for replays, sure. But TV announcers have to be objective. They have to play it down the middle. Radio? Radio is for the fans. When Devin Neal breaks a tackle and finds daylight, the radio call reflects the collective gasp and roar of the Jayhawk faithful.
There’s also the technical side. Most people don’t realize that the radio broadcast features much more granular detail about personnel packages. Because the announcers have to "paint the picture," they tell you that the linebacker is creeping up toward the A-gap or that the wideout is shaded slightly toward the sideline. You become a smarter fan by listening. You start to see the game through the eyes of experts like David Lawrence, who has spent decades analyzing the trenches for KU.
The Legend of the Booth
We can't talk about KU football on the radio without mentioning the transition of voices. For a generation, Bob Davis was the sound of Saturday. His "Touchdown, Kan-sas!" call is burned into the retinas—or rather, the eardrums—of anyone who survived the 2008 Orange Bowl season.
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When Brian Hanni took over in 2016, he had big shoes to fill. But Hanni, a KU grad himself, brought a frantic, joyful pace that matches the modern, high-scoring era of the Big 12. He’s known for his meticulous prep. He carries these massive, color-coded boards into the booth that track every possible stat. It’s that level of obsession that makes the broadcast work. You feel like you're sitting next to a guy who cares as much as you do, maybe more.
Signal Strength and the "Static" Era
Kinda funny to think about now, but there was a time when the strength of the 50,000-watt KFAB or similar regional blowtorches determined if you could hear the game. Now, the challenge is different. It's about sync.
A lot of fans like to "mute the TV and turn on the radio." It’s a classic move. However, because of digital processing, the radio often runs ahead of the TV by several seconds. If you're doing this, you usually need a delay device or an app that lets you pause the radio stream to match the visual of the ball being snapped. It’s a bit of a science project, but for the die-hards, it is the only way to watch.
What to Listen For This Season
With the stadium renovations in Lawrence, the "home" environment is weird right now. Listening to the radio broadcast gives you the best sense of the atmosphere at these alternate venues. The acoustics of a half-full NFL stadium like Arrowhead are different than the old bowl on 11th and Mississippi. The radio crew does a great job of mixing the ambient crowd noise so you can hear the "Rock Chalk Chant" even when the team is 40 miles away from campus.
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- Pregame Coverage: Usually starts two hours before kickoff. This is where the real nuggets are hidden—injury updates that haven't hit Twitter yet and turf conditions.
- The "Hawk Talk" Connection: While not the game itself, the radio network carries the weekly coach’s show. It’s the best way to hear Lance Leipold’s actual philosophy rather than just post-game soundbites.
- Post-Game Wrap-up: Don’t turn it off at the whistle. The locker room interviews on the Jayhawk Sports Network are often way more candid than the formal press conferences.
Listen, KU football has had its ups and downs. Mostly downs for a while there. But the radio remained the one constant. It’s a medium that rewards loyalty.
Actionable Steps for the Best Audio Experience
If you want to move beyond just stumbling upon the game on your dial, here is how you optimize your Saturday listening.
First, download the Varsity Network app. It is the official home for Learfield’s college broadcasts. It avoids the clutter of TuneIn and usually has a higher bitrate. If you’re at the game in person, bring a small pocket radio. Why? Because the stadium Wi-Fi will inevitably fail when everyone tries to check scores at halftime, and the "live" radio in the stands has zero latency. You hear the hit at the same time you see it.
Second, check the affiliate list on KUAthletics.com before you go on a road trip. The signal for 810 WHB is massive, but it can get spotty once you head west toward Salina. Knowing that KSKU in Hutchinson or KMDG in Hays has your back saves you from scanning through static while driving 75 mph.
Lastly, pay attention to the analysis of David Lawrence. Most fans just listen for the play-by-play, but the "color" commentary is where the real football IQ lives. He’ll often call out a blown defensive assignment before the replay even shows it. It changes the way you understand the game of football, turning a simple Saturday afternoon into a masterclass in Big 12 tactics.
Tuning into KU football on the radio is a tradition that has survived the rise of cable, the explosion of the internet, and the shift to streaming. It survives because it’s personal. It’s just a voice, a game, and your imagination filling in the gaps of the green grass and the blue jerseys. Next Saturday, give the TV a break and let the radio tell you the story.