Kansas Dominates Fresno State in Season Opener, 31-7
Kansas opened its 2025 season with a dominant performance against Fresno State, cruising to a 31-7 victory. The Jayhawks' defense set the tone early, forcing critical mistakes that led to their 14-point first quarter. Kansas built momentum throughout the game, adding 10 points in the second quarter and 7 more in the third before shutting down the Bulldogs in the fourth.
Fresno State's offense struggled to establish rhythm, with quarterback E.J. Warner completing passes but managing just 179 yards. Kansas running back Daniel Hishaw Jr. led the ground game with 69 yards, while Leshon Williams scored a rushing touchdown early in the first quarter. The Jayhawks' defense was particularly disruptive, including a notable sack-fumble by Bangally Kamara that Kansas recovered for a turnover.
The game stayed one-sided throughout, with Kansas covering the 14-point spread and keeping the total well under 50 points. Fresno State managed only a touchdown in the first quarter before being shut out for the remainder of the contest.
AI-generated recap · Aug 26, 2026
| Team | 1Q | 2Q | 3Q | 4Q | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Fresno State | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
 Kansas | 14 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 31 |
Scoring Timeline
Drive Chart
Box Score
| Statistic | Fresno State | Kansas |
|---|---|---|
| Passing | 18-29 | 18-20 |
| Pass Yards | 179 | 176 |
| Rush Yards | 37 | 207 |
| Total Yards | 216 | 383 |
| Turnovers | 3 | 0 |
| 3rd Down | 7-15 | 2-10 |
| Penalties | 4-50 | 9-72 |
| Possession | 26:52 | 33:08 |
Player Leaders
Player Leaders
Play-by-Play
Jalon Daniels pass complete to Emmanuel Henderson Jr. for 13 yds to the KU 27 for a 1ST down
pass incomplete to DeShawn Hanika
Daniel Hishaw Jr. run for 4 yds to the KU 31
Jalon Daniels run for 11 yds to the KU 42 for a 1ST down
Jalon Daniels pass complete to Daniel Hishaw Jr. for 5 yds to the KU 47
Daniel Hishaw Jr. run for 2 yds to the KU 49
Daniel Hishaw Jr. run for 7 yds to the FRES 44 for a 1ST down
Jalon Daniels run for 23 yds to the FRES 21 for a 1ST down
Jalon Daniels pass complete to Cam Pickett for 21 yds for a TD (Laith Marjan KICK)
E.J. Warner pass complete to Josiah Freeman for 4 yds to the FRES 29
Bryson Donelson run for no gain to the FRES 29
E.J. Warner pass complete to Bryson Donelson for 39 yds to the KU 32 for a 1ST down
E.J. Warner pass complete to Brock Lium for 8 yds to the KU 24
Brandon Ramirez run for 8 yds to the KU 16 for a 1ST down
E.J. Warner pass complete to Brandon Ramirez for 13 yds to the KU 3 for a 1ST down
Elijah Gilliam run for 3 yds for a TD (Dylan Lynch KICK) (Dylan Lynch KICK)
Kansas Penalty, off-side (Justice Finkley) to the KU 1
Daniel Hishaw Jr. run for 4 yds to the KU 29 for a 1ST down Fresno State Penalty, face mask (15 yards) (Martin Owusu) to the KU 44 for a 1ST down
Daniel Hishaw Jr. run for 3 yds to the KU 47
Jalon Daniels pass complete to Cam Pickett for 15 yds to the FRES 38 for a 1ST down
Daniel Hishaw Jr. run for no gain to the FRES 38 Fresno State Penalty, Defensive holding (10 Yards) to the FRES 48
Fresno State Penalty, false start (5 Yards) to the KU 47
Jalon Daniels pass complete to Emmanuel Henderson Jr. for 10 yds to the FRES 43
Jalon Daniels pass incomplete to Emmanuel Henderson Jr. for a 1ST down Fresno State Penalty, Defensive pass interference (Jakari Embry) to the FRES 28 for a 1ST down
Jalon Daniels run for 7 yds to the FRES 21
Daniel Hishaw Jr. run for no gain to the FRES 21 Fresno State Penalty, Defensive holding (10 Yards) to the FRES 31
Jalon Daniels run for 7 yds to the FRES 24
Daniel Hishaw Jr. run for 5 yds to the FRES 19
Leshon Williams run for 19 yds for a TD (Laith Marjan KICK)
Bryson Donelson run for a loss of 1 yard to the FRES 24
Bryson Donelson run for 1 yd to the FRES 25
E.J. Warner pass complete to Ezekiel Avit for 17 yds to the FRES 42 for a 1ST down
Rayshon Luke run for 2 yds to the FRES 44
Jayon Farrar run for a loss of 1 yard to the FRES 43
pass incomplete
Nick Verdugo punt for 38 yds
Leshon Williams run for 3 yds to the KU 22
Jalon Daniels pass incomplete to Levi Wentz for a 1ST down Fresno State Penalty, Defensive pass interference (Al'zillion Hamilton) to the KU 37 for a 1ST down
Jalon Daniels run for a loss of 2 yards to the KU 35
Jalon Daniels pass complete to Emmanuel Henderson Jr. for 1 yd to the KU 36
Jalon Daniels sacked by Finn Claypool for a loss of 7 yards to the KU 29
Finn Lappin punt for 50 yds , Jordan Malauulu returns for 1 yd to the FRES 22
Bryson Donelson run for 2 yds to the FRES 24
Rayshon Luke run for a loss of 1 yard to the FRES 23
E.J. Warner pass incomplete to Josiah Freeman, broken up by Jahlil Hurley
Nick Verdugo punt for 36 yds
Jalon Daniels pass complete to Leshon Williams for 16 yds to the FRES 43 for a 1ST down
Jalon Daniels pass complete to Cam Pickett for 13 yds to the FRES 30 for a 1ST down
Daniel Hishaw Jr. run for 7 yds to the FRES 23
Jalon Daniels pass complete to Cam Pickett for 10 yds to the FRES 13 for a 1ST down
Jalon Daniels pass complete to Cam Pickett for 13 yds for a TD (Laith Marjan KICK)
Rayshon Luke run for a loss of 1 yard to the FRES 24
E.J. Warner pass complete to Josiah Freeman for 21 yds to the FRES 45 for a 1ST down
Bryson Donelson run for 5 yds to the 50 yard line
Brandon Ramirez run for 3 yds to the KU 47
Fresno State Penalty, false start (Brayden Walton) to the FRES 48
E.J. Warner pass intercepted
rush left , fumble by TEAM recovered by KAN Emilien,Doug, Emilien,Doug rush for 2 yards to the KAN35 (Thunderbird,K'Vion). fumbled, recovered by KU Doug Emilien Doug Emilien run for 2 yds to the KU 35
Jalon Daniels pass complete to DeShawn Hanika for 8 yds to the KU 43 for a 1ST down
Jalon Daniels run for 5 yds to the KU 48
Jalon Daniels pass complete to Levi Wentz for 15 yds to the FRES 37 for a 1ST down
Jalon Daniels run for 3 yds to the FRES 34
pass incomplete to Emmanuel Henderson Jr.
Jalon Daniels pass complete to Cam Pickett for 5 yds to the FRES 29
Laith Marjan 47 yd FG GOOD
E.J. Warner pass complete to Richie Anderson Iii for 2 yds to the FRES 27
E.J. Warner pass incomplete to Richie Anderson Iii, broken up by Trey Lathan
E.J. Warner pass complete to Ezekiel Avit for 13 yds to the FRES 40 for a 1ST down
pass incomplete to Jordan Brown
pass incomplete to Jordan Malauulu
E.J. Warner pass complete to Kamron Beachem for 8 yds to the FRES 48
E.J. Warner run for 8 yds to the KU 44 for a 1ST down
E.J. Warner pass complete to Jordan Brown for 7 yds to the KU 37
Dylan Lynch 55 yd FG MISSED
pass incomplete to Richie Anderson Iii
Fresno State Penalty, off-side (-5 Yards) to the FRES 30
Bryson Donelson run for 3 yds to the FRES 33
E.J. Warner pass complete to Elijah Gilliam for 3 yds to the FRES 36 for a 1ST down
Brandon Ramirez run for no gain to the FRES 36
E.J. Warner pass complete to Brandon Ramirez for a loss of 2 yards to the FRES 34
E.J. Warner pass complete to Josiah Freeman for 18 yds to the KU 48 for a 1ST down
Bryson Donelson run for 12 yds to the KU 36 for a 1ST down
Bryson Donelson run for 3 yds to the KU 33
E.J. Warner pass incomplete to Kamron Beachem, broken up by Lyrik Rawls
E.J. Warner sacked by Bangally Kamara for a loss of 18 yards to the FRES 49 E.J. Warner fumbled, recovered by KU Kenean Caldwell , return for 0 yards
Daniel Hishaw Jr. run for 21 yds to the FRES 28 for a 1ST down
Jalon Daniels pass complete to Carson Bruhn for 3 yds to the FRES 25 Fresno State Penalty, Defensive holding (10 Yards) to the FRES 35
Leshon Williams run for 21 yds to the FRES 14 for a 1ST down
Leshon Williams run for 2 yds to the FRES 12
Jalon Daniels pass complete to Keaton Kubecka for 12 yds for a TD (Laith Marjan KICK)
Johnathan Arceneaux run for 2 yds to the FRES 27
pass incomplete to Jordan Brown
E.J. Warner pass complete to Rayshon Luke for 10 yds to the FRES 37 for a 1ST down
E.J. Warner pass intercepted
Leshon Williams run for 6 yds to the FRES 43
Daniel Hishaw Jr. run for 8 yds to the FRES 35 for a 1ST down
Daniel Hishaw Jr. run for no gain to the FRES 35 Fresno State Penalty, Defensive holding (10 Yards) to the FRES 45
Leshon Williams run for 6 yds to the FRES 39
Jalon Daniels pass complete to DeShawn Hanika for 9 yds to the FRES 30
Johnny Thompson Jr. run for 3 yds to the FRES 27
Jalon Daniels pass complete to Boden Groen for 3 yds to the FRES 24 for a 1ST down
Daniel Hishaw Jr. run for 7 yds to the FRES 17
Daniel Hishaw Jr. run for a loss of 6 yards to the FRES 23
Daniel Hishaw Jr. run for 8 yds to the FRES 15
Daniel Hishaw Jr. run for a loss of 1 yard to the FRES 16 Kansas Penalty, Defensive holding (Amir Herring) to the FRES 16
Bryson Donelson run for 2 yds to the FRES 18
E.J. Warner pass complete to Jordan Malauulu for 7 yds to the FRES 25
Elijah Gilliam run for no gain to the FRES 25
Nick Verdugo punt for 44 yds
Daniel Hishaw Jr. run for no gain to the KU 31 Kansas Penalty, Offensive holding (Amir Herring) to the KU 21
Johnny Thompson Jr. run for 7 yds to the KU 28
Johnny Thompson Jr. run for 3 yds to the KU 31
Jalon Daniels pass complete to Harry Stewart III for 4 yds to the KU 35
Finn Lappin punt for 61 yds
Rayshon Luke run for 9 yds to the FRES 13
Rayshon Luke run for 2 yds to the FRES 15 for a 1ST down
E.J. Warner pass complete to Rayshon Luke for a loss of 6 yards to the FRES 9
E.J. Warner pass complete to Richie Anderson Iii for 11 yds to the FRES 20
E.J. Warner pass complete to Kamron Beachem for 6 yds to the FRES 26 for a 1ST down
E.J. Warner pass incomplete to Johnathan Arceneaux, broken up by Devin Dye
Rayshon Luke run for 3 yds to the FRES 29
E.J. Warner sacked by Leroy Harris III for a loss of 12 yards to the FRES 17
Nick Verdugo punt for 43 yds , Tate Nagy returns for no gain to the KU 17 Fresno State Penalty, Defensive holding (-10 Yards) to the KU 30
Cole Ballard run for 6 yds to the KU 36
Johnny Thompson Jr. run for a loss of 1 yard to the KU 35
Cole Ballard run for 4 yds to the KU 39
Finn Lappin punt for 50 yds , Jordan Malauulu returns for no gain to the FRES 11
Bryson Donelson run for 3 yds to the FRES 14
Bryson Donelson run for 4 yds to the FRES 18
Rayshon Luke run for a loss of 3 yards to the FRES 15
E.J. Warner sacked by Logan Brantley and Devin Dye for a loss of 1 yard to the FRES 14
Isaiah Marshall run for 13 yds to the FRES 1 for a 1ST down
Isaiah Marshall run for a loss of 1 yard to the FRES 2
Isaiah Marshall run for a loss of 1 yard to the FRES 3
Isaiah Marshall run for a loss of 1 yard to the FRES 3