Kansas Jayhawks Football Predictions: Coastal Carolina

The Kansas Jayhawks welcome the storm-battered Coastal Carolina Chanticleers in to Memorial Stadium tomorrow for the second game of the season. Will the return of Pooka Williams help spark the offense? Can the defense continue to get turnovers? What will happen in this game?

Read our staff predictions, and then leave your own in the comments below.

Dino: Kansas did what they needed to do last week. It wasn’t pretty but it gave Kansas a 1-0 start. Last week, Coastal played a decent MAC team to the brink. They lost by only 7 points. The good thing is Pooka returns. Look for a Pooka heavy beatdown. The defense should be able to cause a few turnovers. Expect a better performance. Kansas 37 Coastal Carolina 17

dnoll5: I’m going to go on record to say that there is no possible way I could know any less about Coastal Carolina than I do, but I do know that the team has moved their pregame training sessions and practices away from their coastal campus in anticipation of Hurricane Dorian. And while I hope that no one in the Coastal Carolina family is injured (or even affected) by the storm, this has to be a plus for Kansas. Football coaches notoriously hate changing their routine (Bill Snyder ate at Taco Bell every meal for 56 straight years for crying out loud) and this will benefit Kansas. Like I said, I know nothing, but a KU win just feels right. Plus, Pooka’s back. Kansas 45, Coastal Carolina 17.

Fizzle406: Kansas has a national champion head coach and the best player on the field. They are going to maul Coastal Carolina. I hear Coastal Carolina will be drinking their disgusting vinegar based BBQ sauce on the sidelines instead of Gatorade. You don’t need to Google that one, it’s true, just trust me. Kansas 42, Coastal Carolina 10

Kyle_Davis21: Coastal Carolina threw four picks and averaged a measly 2.5 yards per carry against Eastern Michigan. This Kansas defense looks to be carrying over last season’s turnover trend and Pooka is back on offense, meaning it should be easier to establish possession with the run. That feels like a recipe for Les Miles to go 2-0 with a more than half full crowd in attendance to see it. Kansas 35, Coastal Carolina 21

David: I’m feeling very uneasy about this Kansas team. Was the unimpressive attempt at a ground and pound approach just vanilla playcalling against an FCS opponent? I hope so, because it wasn’t even effective against Indiana State, and now the Chanticleers have tape to study. My hope is that we see the playbook open up, and that Pooka is turned loose on a team that won’t have the speed to bottle him up. Sagarin’s ratings say Coastal Carolina is actually a slightly worse team than Indiana State. I don’t know if that’s true, but I do think having the most talented player on the field will give Kansas just enough of an advantage to win their second straight. Kansas 28, Coastal Carolina 24

Andy: Pooka should provide a big jump forward, especially against a Coastal Carolina defense that gives up yards in bunches. The CCU offensive line that was supposed to be their strength didn’t protect very well last week, and I doubt their altered practice schedule helped them fix any of those issues. The KU front seven should be able to wreak havoc, and the secondary can clean up the mess. I expect the Jayhawks to get up early and cruise to a victory here. Kansas 42, Coastal Carolina 19.

Brendan: I don’t know if I should have this much confidence, but the combination of Pooka being back, optimism following last week and generally bearish feelings toward Coastal Carolina, I think the Jayhawks cruise. I’m with David, I hope the playbook opens up with Pooka back, and I think it will. Not to mention, the KU secondary may feast against turnover-prone Fred Payton. Kansas 35, Coastal Carolina 10

Mike.Plank: Not sure what I can add that hasn’t already been mentioned multiple times. Pooka gives Kansas an extra dimension that most teams will have a tough time accounting for. I look for the KU offense to hit an extra gear on Saturday, and for Coastal Carolina to be unable to keep up. Kansas 41, Coastal Carolina 24