No. 3 Baylor at Kansas: Three-minute preview

When/where: 11 a.m. Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Lawrence

TV/radio: Fox Sports 1; KCSP (610 AM)

The series: Baylor leads 10-4

The line: Baylor by 44  1/2

What’s at stake

In all likelihood, Kansas will receive a brutal reminder of how far it has to go as a program. Nobody expects the Jayhawks to keep it remotely close against No. 3 Baylor, and perhaps that will take some pressure off. Kansas is 0-4 this season, and eight difficult Big 12 games remain. But the Jayhawks still have much to play for as they try to set a foundation for the future. Baylor, meanwhile, is a national title contender and every performance counts in the eyes of the College Football Playoff committee.

Cheers if ...

KU’s young players can gain some valuable experience. Freshman quarterback Ryan Willis will make his first career start, joining receiver Steven Sims and right tackle Larry Hughes on the first-team offense. A week ago, KU pulled the redshirts off true freshman linebacker Kendal Duckworth and offensive lineman Clyde McCauley, who lined up as a tight end in run packages.

Jeers if ...

KU fans don’t get to see Baylor’s 400-pound tight end, LaQuan McGowan, pull in a couple passes. McGowan, who is listed at 6 feet 7 and 410 pounds, has one catch this season.

Rustin Dodd’s pick: Baylor 73-17

Barring injury or some divine intervention, Baylor can probably pick the score. The Bears will likely roll up close to 50 points before halftime, but there’s no way Art Briles will keep his foot on the gas pedal late in the second half, right? Briles can be a bit of a renegade, but we don’t expect it.

KANSAS (0-4, 0-1 Big 12)

BAYLOR (4-0, 1-0 Big 12)

Three things about Baylor

1 After four games, Baylor is on pace to lead the country in total offense for the third straight year. The Bears lead the country with 745.3 yards per game and 63.8 points per contest. Baylor is also the only school in the Football Bowl Subdivision to be top 10 in both passing (eighth, 368.5 yards per game) and rushing offense (second, 376.8).

2 Baylor receiver Corey Coleman, a junior from Richardson, Texas, is the latest in a long line of great receivers for Baylor coach Art Briles. Coleman leads the country in touchdown catches (11) and is third in receiving yards with 142.5 per game.

3 In his eighth season at Baylor, head coach Art Briles has guided the Bears to consecutive Big 12 regular-season titles — including one shared title with TCU — and five straight bowl games. Baylor is also 26-4 since the start of the 2013 season.

Key matchup

Baylor running back Shock Linwood vs. the KU defense: Two years ago, Linwood racked up 106 yards on nine carries in a 59-14 victory over Kansas at Memorial Stadium. Now a junior, Linwood ranks second in the country in yards per carry (9.4) while piling up 584 yards in four games. But Linwood isn’t the only dangerous Baylor runner; freshman Terence Williams has 326 yards in 45 carries.

KANSAS OFFENSE

KANSAS DEFENSE

BAYLOR OFFENSE

BAYLOR DEFENSE

This story was originally published October 8, 2015 at 2:30 PM with the headline "No. 3 Baylor at Kansas: Three-minute preview."