Fresno State has an electric matchup to open the 2025 season.
The Bulldogs kick off their 2025 campaign on the road at Lance Leipold’s Kansas in a Week Zero battle on August 23. FanDuel currently lists the spread for the game at 13.5 in favor of Kansas, with an Over/Under at 51.5.
Fresno State is coming off of a mediocre 6-7 season. They started the year 3-1 with just a loss to Michigan, but then were trampled by UNLV, 59-14. They then followed up with a loss to Washington State to go 3-3. They beat Nevada and split rivalry games against San Jose State and Hawaii, but lost two of their final three to Air Force and UCLA to go 6-6. They then lost to Northern Illinois in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
In the offseason, the Dogs had work to do. They began by hiring head coach Matt Entz, who helped bring in some good recruits. In the portal, Entz brought in a significant amount of talent from all over the Power Five, including Purdue, Illinois, UCLA, Utah, Minnesota, Pitt, Arizona State, Iowa, Maryland, Louisville, USC, and Arizona. With new faces all over the place, the Bulldogs are ready to get back to competing for a Mountain West title, but will have to prove themselves in non-conference play first.
Kansas is in a very different state of program currently. Historically not one of the most successful programs in the Power Five, that has changed recently under Leipold with the addition of quarterback Jalon Daniels and athletic pieces on both sides of the ball.
Last season, they started 2-6, looking terrible, but went on a crazy run that consisted of back-to-back-to-back wins over No. 17 Iowa State, No. 6 BYU, and No. 16 Colorado. Although the Jayhawks lost Week 12 to Baylor and spoiled their postseason chances, they became one of the best teams to miss a bowl game.
Over the offseason, Kansas lost a lot, mainly star running back Devin Neal and cornerback Cobee Bryant. They did return their leader though: quarterback Jalon Daniels, who achieved career highs of 2454 passing yards and 439 rushing yards in 2024. Howver, Daniels also tied for the most thrown interceptions in the Big 12 with 12 last season – a trait that the Bulldogs hope will carry over into their matchup.
Next season will be a big test for both teams. If Fresno State can use their offseason momentum properly, they may just be able to take down Kansas on the road. This will be a gritty, well fought game, which will be crucial to two sides that have high expectations for themselves in 2025.
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