1968 Kansas Jayhawks football team

The 1968 Kansas Jayhawks football team represented the University of Kansas in the Big Eight Conference during the 1968 NCAA University Division football season. In their second season under head coach Pepper Rodgers, the Jayhawks compiled a 9–2 record (6–1 against conference opponents), tied with Oklahoma for the Big Eight Conference championship, lost to Penn State in the 1969 Orange Bowl, and outscored opponents by a combined total of 394 to 190.[1][2] They played their home games at Memorial Stadium in Lawrence, Kansas.

1968 Kansas Jayhawks football
Big Eight co-champion
Orange Bowl, L 14–15 vs. Penn State
Conference	Big Eight Conference
Ranking
Coaches	No. 6
AP	No. 7
1968 record	9–2 (6–1 Big 8)
Head coach	Pepper Rodgers (2nd season)
Captain	John Zook
Home stadium	Memorial Stadium

1968 Big Eight Conference football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
No. 7 Kansas +	6	–	1	–	0			9	–	2	–	0
No. 11 Oklahoma +	6	–	1	–	0			7	–	4	–	0
No. 9 Missouri	5	–	2	–	0			8	–	3	–	0
Nebraska	3	–	4	–	0			6	–	4	–	0
Colorado	3	–	4	–	0			4	–	6	–	0
Kansas State	2	–	5	–	0			4	–	6	–	0
Oklahoma State	2	–	5	–	0			3	–	7	–	0
Iowa State	1	–	6	–	0			3	–	7	–	0
+ – Conference co-champions Rankings from AP Poll

The team's statistical leaders included Bobby Douglass with 1,316 passing yards, John Riggins with 866 rushing yards and George McGowan with 592 receiving yards.[3] John Zook was the team captain.[2]

Quarterback Bobby Douglass finished 7th in Heisman Trophy voting receiving 9 1st place votes.

The season represented the last time the Jayhawks beat Nebraska until 2005, and remains the last time they won in Lincoln.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result
September 21	at Illinois*		Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL	W 47–7
September 28	No. 13 Indiana*	No. 12	Memorial Stadium Lawrence, KS	W 38–20
October 5	New Mexico*	No. 8	Memorial Stadium Lawrence, KS	W 68–7
October 12	at No. 9 Nebraska	No. 6	Memorial Stadium Lincoln, NE (rivalry)	W 23–13
October 19	Oklahoma State	No. 4	Memorial Stadium Lawrence, KS	W 49–14
October 26	at Iowa State	No. 3	Clyde Williams Field Ames, IA	W 46–25
November 2	Colorado	No. 3	Memorial Stadium Lawrence, KS	W 27–14
November 9	Oklahoma	No. 3	Memorial Stadium Lawrence, KS	L 23–27
November 16	at Kansas State	No. 7	KSU Stadium Manhattan, KS (rivalry)	W 38–29
November 23	at No. 13 Missouri	No. 7	Memorial Stadium Columbia, MO (Border War)	W 21–19
January 1	vs. No. 3 Penn State*	No. 6	Miami Orange Bowl Miami, FL (Orange Bowl)	L 14–15
*Non-conference game Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Roster

1968 Kansas Jayhawks football team roster
Players			Coaches
Offense Pos. # Name Class T 70 Larry Brown So T 76 Keith Christensen Sr QB 10 Bobby Douglass Sr WR -- Ron Jessie So RB 32 John Riggins So	Defense Pos. # Name Class DT 71 Jim Bailey Jr T 73 Steve Lawson So DE 81 John Zook Sr	Special teams Pos. # Name Class K 12 Bill Bell Jr	Head coach Pepper Rodgers Coordinators/assistant coaches Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible Injured Redshirt

Rankings

Game summaries

at Nebraska

Oklahoma

vs. Penn State (Orange Bowl)

References

1. "1968 Kansas Jayhawks Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
2. 2017 Kansas Football Media Guide, p. 185.
3. "1968 Kansas Jayhawks Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved September 20, 2017.