McNeese State @ Kansas preview

THE STORY: Year one of the Turner Gill era at Kansas was about as bad as the Jayhawks’ 3-9 record indicated. The Jayhawks look back at that team and see one that was still figuring itself out at the end of the season. Kansas hopes to avoid a repeat of the 2010 season opener, when the Jayhawks lost at home to FCS North Dakota State.

TV: AT&T Jayhawk All-Access. LINE: None.

ABOUT KANSAS (3-9 in 2010): The Jayhawks started three different quarterbacks - none of which had ever started a college game - in 2010. The results weren’t pretty - a scoring offense that ranked 111th out of 120 in the country. Jordan Webb, who started most of the games last year, returns as a third-year sophomore, and the Jayhawks believe the experience will make the difference.

ABOUT MCNEESE STATE (6-5 in 2010): McNeese State finished second in the Southland Conference last season, when the Cowboys lost to LSU 32-10 and Missouri 50-6. Running back Andre Anderson returns after running for 855 yards last season. McNeese State returns only eight total starters from last season.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The starting quarterback from Kansas' loss to North Dakota State last season - Kale Pick - is now a starting wide receiver.

2. Incoming Kansas freshman quarterback Brock Berglund will not play this fall after missing most of spring and fall practice to deal with a legal case back home in Colorado. Berglund was expected to compete for the starting job.

3. McNeese State entered fall camp with a quarterback competition between returner Cody Stroud and North Texas transfer Riley Dodge, who started 17 games for the Mean Green.

PREDICTION: Kansas 28, McNeese State 13 - The Jayhawks should be better than last season, purely because they are more comfortable. But Kansas isn’t going to blow anybody away with its talent, and McNeese State won’t be an exception.