Kansas football overcomes slow start to defeat LIU in season opener
2 sources • 2 min read • Latest: Sep 5, 2026, 4:30 AM
Last updated Sep 5, 2026
Kansas defeated LIU 51-6 in the season-opener held Friday night at Memorial Stadium in Lawrence. Sophomore quarterback Isaiah Marshall recorded 246 passing yards and two touchdowns in his first start, leading the offense to a total of 613 yards. Yasin Willis added 72 rushing yards and two scores during his debut, while Nik McMillan contributed 130 receiving yards and a touchdown on six catches. Although the Jayhawks held a narrow 6-0 lead early in the second quarter, they scored 30 points before halftime. LIU finished the contest with 146 total yards as quarterback Luca Stanzani provided 111 passing yards. Kansas moves forward to host Missouri next Friday night for the first Border War matchup between the two schools since 2005.
- •Kansas finished with a 51-6 victory over LIU in Lawrence.
- •Isaiah Marshall threw for 246 yards and two touchdowns.
- •The Jayhawks generated 613 total yards of offense.
- •Kansas hosts Missouri next Friday in the Border War series.
- •LIU remains winless after two games.
- 4:30 AMYahoo Sports — Kansas shakes off sluggish start, crushes LIU 51-6 in its opener ahead of Border War with Missouri
- 3:37 AMYahoo Sports — Kansas shakes off a sluggish start, crushes LIU 51-6 in its opener ahead of Border War with Missouri
"Isaiah Marshall threw for 246 yards and two touchdowns, Yasin Willis ran for 72 yards and two scores in his Kansas debut, and the Jayhawks rolled after a sluggish start to a 51-6 victory over Long Island University in their season-opener on Friday night. Buffalo transfer Nik McMillan had six catches for 130 yards and a touchdown, and Tate Nagy added a second-half scoring catch off a deflected pass, as the Jayhawks warmed up for the latest edition of the Border War against bitter rival Missouri next week. Kansas piled up 613 yards of total offense in the return of Andy Kotelnicki, their former offensive coordinator.
"Isaiah Marshall threw for 246 yards and two touchdowns, Yasin Willis ran for 72 yards and two scores in his Kansas debut, and the Jayhawks rolled after a sluggish start to a 51-6 victory over Long Island University in their season-opener on Friday night. Buffalo transfer Nik McMillan had six catches for 130 yards and a touchdown, and Tate Nagy added a second-half scoring catch off a deflected pass, as the Jayhawks warmed up for the latest edition of the Border War against bitter rival Missouri next week.
Sources
External links- Yahoo SportsSep 5, 2026, 4:30 AMKansas shakes off sluggish start, crushes LIU 51-6 in its opener ahead of Border War with Missouri
Isaiah Marshall threw for 246 yards and two touchdowns, Yasin Willis ran for 72 yards and two scores in his Kansas debut, and the Jayhawks rolled after a sluggish start to a 51-6 victory over Long Island University in their season-opener on Friday night. Buffalo transfer Nik McMillan had six catches for 130 yards and a touchdown, and Tate Nagy added a second-half scoring catch off a deflected pass, as the Jayhawks warmed up for the latest edition of the Border War against bitter rival Missouri next week.
- Yahoo SportsSep 5, 2026, 3:37 AMKansas shakes off a sluggish start, crushes LIU 51-6 in its opener ahead of Border War with Missouri
Isaiah Marshall threw for 246 yards and two touchdowns, Yasin Willis ran for 72 yards and two scores in his Kansas debut, and the Jayhawks rolled after a sluggish start to a 51-6 victory over Long Island University in their season-opener on Friday night. Buffalo transfer Nik McMillan had six catches for 130 yards and a touchdown, and Tate Nagy added a second-half scoring catch off a deflected pass, as the Jayhawks warmed up for the latest edition of the Border War against bitter rival Missouri next week. Kansas piled up 613 yards of total offense in the return of Andy Kotelnicki, their former offensive coordinator.
Original reporting and copyright belong to the linked sources. SportsNewsReport.com aggregates and links — it does not republish full articles.
Related Stories
Last 14 days
Football•Sep 5, 2026, 4:40 AMOzark football delivers head coach Ray Godfrey's first win
Football•Sep 5, 2026, 4:39 AMNasty, tenacious energy helps transform Buchholz football offensive line
Football•Sep 5, 2026, 4:38 AMClear Fork beats Lexington, starts 3-0 for first time since 2018
Football•Sep 5, 2026, 4:36 AMWeek 3 Roundup: Jensen Beach tops South Fork, extends rivalry streak to 9
Football•Sep 5, 2026, 4:32 AMAlabama commit, All-America QB makes case for nation's top QB with absurd stat line
Football•Sep 5, 2026, 4:30 AMWinchester football stifles Monroe Central for first win of 2026