Three-minute preview: KU football vs. Texas

When/where: 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Lawrence

TV/radio: ABC; KCSP (610 AM)

The series: Texas leads 13-2.

The line: Texas by 24.

What’s at stake

Kansas will look to snap a 19-game Big 12 losing streak. The Jayhawks have not won a conference game since a 34-14 victory over Iowa State on Nov. 8, 2014, when defensive coordinator Clint Bowen was interim head coach.

Cheers if …

KU’s defense is able to stop the run. This has been an issue for the Jayhawks all season, and it doesn’t help that linebacker Marcquis Roberts was ruled out for the season (injury) by coach David Beaty earlier this week. Texas, meanwhile, runs the ball more than any other Big 12 team while averaging 5 yards per carry. KU’s pass defense has had some positive moments this season, but it won’t have a chance to make plays if the Jayhawks can’t hold their own on first- and second-down running plays.

Jeers if …

Beaty continues his ultraconservative mindset. While leading 14-3 last week against Iowa State, Beaty elected to quick punt on a fourth-and-2 at the Iowa State 37-yard line in the second quarter. The Carter Stanley kick rolled into the end zone, the Cyclones followed with an 80-yard touchdown drive, and the Jayhawks lost most of the momentum they had built up from earlier in the game. As a 24-point underdog this week, Beaty needs to embrace the role of risk-taker, as his team isn’t at the stage where it can simply line up and beat Texas without some crazy stuff happening. In other words, KU needs this game to have high variance, and that won’t happen if Beaty continues to punt on fourth-and-2s.

Jesse Newell’s pick: Texas 42-17

It’s been a few weeks since KU’s defense had a performance that was noteworthy, and facing a run-heavy team in Texas should continue to make things difficult on a defense that has been forced to pull starters deep from the depth chart because of injuries. The Jayhawks offense still hasn’t scored more than 24 this season against an FBS team, so even recent improvement has been incremental. Expect Texas to take this one without much trouble.

Three things about Texas

1 Texas has won 13 straight games against KU.

2 The Longhorns have had 500 yards of offense in seven games this season. The previous two years, the team had combined for three such contests.

3 Since coach Charlie Strong took over defensive play calling duties five games ago, Texas’ defense has allowed 5.0 yards per play. In the previous five games, opponents had managed 6.4 yards per play against the Longhorns defense.

Key matchup

KU’s defensive line vs. Texas’ offensive line: KU has surrendered 200 rushing yards or more to each of its last five opponents, with West Virginia and Iowa State combining for 579 yards on the ground the last two games. The Jayhawks will need to hold their ground better to have a chance at stopping Texas running back D’Onta Foreman, who leads the nation with 179 rushing yards per game.

This story was originally published November 17, 2016 at 4:45 PM with the headline "Three-minute preview: KU football vs. Texas."