LAWRENCE, Kansas – The No. 19 Kansas Jayhawks will hit the road for the first time of the 2024 season when the Jayhawks take on the Illinois Fighting Illini under the lights at Memorial Stadium on Saturday night. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. CT on FS1 with Alex Faust (Play-by-Play) and Robert Smith (Analyst) hosting.

The Jayhawks and Illini will face off for the second straight season, as Kansas and Illinois met in week two of the 2023 season. Kansas totaled 539 yards of total offense in defeating the Illini 34-23 at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium on September 8, 2023. The combination of Jalon Daniels And Devin Neal led the Jayhawks on offense in that game, with Daniels throwing for 277 yards and scoring two touchdowns on 21 of 29 passing, while Neal threw for 120 yards and scored one touchdown on 10 carries.

Saturday’s meeting between Kansas and Illinois will be the seventh all-time, with the series locked at 3-3. It will be Kansas’ first trip to Champaign, Ill., since 1968, in a game Kansas won 47-7.


This year’s game features two teams with a 1-0 record, both coming off strong first-week wins. Kansas defeated Lindenwood 48-3 on Thursday, August 29, while Illinois defeated Eastern Illinois 45-0.


The No. 19 Kansas Jayhawks mustered 530 yards of offense, including 331 rushing yards, in their season-opening win against Lindenwood. Kansas’ defense held firm, holding the Lions to just 202 total yards of offense and three points, the fewest a Kansas team has allowed since Sept. 5, 2009, against Northern Colorado.


Kansas senior Mello Dotson recorded his eighth career interception in the game against Lindenwood, which he returned 33 yards for a touchdown, marking his third career pick-six, breaking the KU school record for most interceptions returned for a touchdown. Offensively, Kansas was led by two rushing touchdowns from Neal on eight carries for 112 yards and 111 yards receiving and a touchdown from senior wide receiver Lucas Grimm.


Illinois enters Saturday night’s game coming off a 45-0 win over Eastern Illinois, in which the Illini totaled 486 yards of total offense, including six touchdowns. Illinois’ defense forced four turnovers and allowed just 49 rushing yards.


The Illini are led by Bret Bielema, who is in his fourth year as head coach. In his time at Illinois, he has a 19-19 record and a career record of 116-77 in 16 years as coach.


Following Saturday’s game at Illinois, the Jayhawks conclude non-conference play with a rematch of the 2023 Guaranteed Rate Bowl as Kansas hosts UNLV on Friday, Sept. 13 at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN with kickoff set for 6:00 p.m. CT.