Courtesy of Kansas Athletics
LAWRENCE, Kan. â Fresh off a 28-21 victory at Iowa State on Saturday night, Kansas football climbed in the national rankings on Sunday, as the Jayhawks are ranked No. 19 in the latest AP Top 25 and No. 18 in the USA Today Coaches Poll.
Kansas is among the big movers in the polls this week, climbing three positions in the AP Poll while moving up five spots in the Coaches Poll. This marks the fourth time this season that Kansas has been ranked in each of the polls and the first time that KU has appeared in the rankings in back-to-back weeks. Kansasâ win at Iowa State was the programâs first win as a ranked team since then-No. 16 KU defeated Iowa State 41-36 in 2009.
KUâs No. 19 ranking in the AP Poll matches the Jayhawksâ highest ranking under head coach Lance Leipold. Kansas twice held down the No. 19 spot in the AP Poll last season, in consecutive weeks on Oct. 2 and Oct. 9.
Additionally, Kansas was ranked No. 21 in the initial College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings, which was announced on Oct. 31. It was the first-ever appearance for KU in the 10-year history of the CFP. The next CFP rankings will be announced on Tuesday, Nov. 7.
With the win at Iowa State, Kansas is now 7-2 on the year and 4-2 in Big 12 play. KU has won consecutive Big 12 games, defeating No. 6 Oklahoma 38-33 on Oct. 28 in Lawrence before the 28-21 win at Iowa State on Nov. 4. The Jayhawks are now in a five-way tie for third place in the Big 12 standings, sitting one game back of Texas and Oklahoma State, who are both 5-1.
Kansas has now clinched a winning record for the first time since 2008 and the Jayhawks have qualified for a bowl game in back-to-back seasons for only the second time in program history.