We have entered the late stages of Tale 2.0, with the focus this week centered on the Week 11 matchup between WVU Football and Kansas. The Jayhawks return to Morgantown after last playing at Milan Puskar Stadium in 2024. Read more: Tale of the Tape 2.0 – Kansas.
WVU leads the all-time series, 11-3, with recorded history dating back to 1941. When the contest is held in the Mountain State, the Mountaineers fare even better (7-1).
Granted, 13 of the 14 games in the series have come since 2012. The 1941 meeting stood alone for several decades.
Previous entry: Tale of the Tape 2.0 – Texas Tech
WVU and Kansas are scheduled to battle November 14.
Last time out: woeful
Despite the overwhelming lead in the series, WVU got trounced by the Jayhawks this past season. KU threw down a 41-10 blowout in Lawrence last September, just one week after the Mountaineers took down Pitt in a classic Backyard Brawl.
The main culprit, if one could even be singled out, was WVU’s atrocious run defense. The old gold and blue allowed 242 net yards on the ground, with Leshon Williams torching WVU for 129 by himself.
Luckily for the Mountaineers, they often land on the good side of this series.
Other matchup history
Turning the clocks back to the first meeting on November 8, 1941, WVU defended home turf with a 21-0 victory.
Flash forward 71 years to when WVU joined the Jayhawks in the Big 12, and it has been a regular bout nearly every season. Through the decade-plus era of sharing a conference, 2023 remains the only year the two squads did not meet.
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The Mountaineers started on a dominant foot in 2012, blowing out Kansas in a 59-10 triumph. The Jayhawks got revenge a year later, winning 31-19.
Then came the stretch from 2014-2021, when WVU picked up eight straight during some of the worst years of Kansas’ program. A soul-crushing loss ended the run in 2022, before the Mountaineers snagged one in a thriller in 2024 — rain delay and all.
Everyone knows how this past season’s contest panned out.
In (projected) similar company
ESPN’s latest win total projections for all Big 12 football programs came out Wednesday, with both teams predicted to finish in the bottom half of the league.
These projections have Kansas finishing with 5.8 wins, while marking the Mountaineers for 5.2. That total for WVU is good enough for dead last on their list.
For reference, Kansas had a similar output as WVU this past year, finishing 5-7.
Speaking of similarity, one face that will likely be staring down the Mountaineer offense has history wearing the Flying WV.
Familiar foe
Former WVU linebacker Trey Lathan is the top star for the Jayhawks’ defense. Arguably, Lathan could be considered the top star on the entire KU roster.
The redshirt senior is coming off a year where he led Kansas in tackles (86) and earned Honorable Mention All-Big 12 honors. Three of those 86 tackles and his lone interception of the year came against his former team in that 41-10 triumph.
As of Thursday, Lathan was named to the Butkus Award Preseason Watch List, an award presented each year to the nation’s top collegiate linebacker. He was one of 51 players to make the cut.
Along with Lathan, head coach Lance Leipold is no stranger to WVU. Now entering his sixth year at the helm, Leipold is 2-2 against the Mountaineers.
Less familiar
On the other side of the ball, there are some new names taking snaps under center. Jalon Daniels has moved onto his pro days in the NFL, leaving Cole Ballard and Isaiah Marshall as the top two candidates to try and throw against a hopefully improved WVU defense.
Other roster shakeups are confirmed, too, but such is the way of modern college football. Who knows who will be playing for either of these teams come mid-November?
What’s next
Kickoff for the Week 11 bout is not yet set, but it will be played on November 14.
As always, clear out the two hours leading up to kickoff each game day and join WV Sports Nation for The Mountaineer Tailgate pregame show, hosted by Senior Writer Mitch Rogers.
Related: Introducing The Mountaineer Tailgate pregame show, coming soon to JFMN
Related: Forget the portal: WVU Football is going Back to the Future (M*tch, Please!)
Two entries remain in Tale 2.0, so return next week for a way-too-early look at the penultimate game of the season against Houston. The Cougars come to Morgantown November 21.
Stay up to date with WV Sports Nation for more WVU Athletics coverage.
