The Jayhawks, coached by Mark Mangino in his sixth year with the program, finished the season 12–1 overall, a school record for wins, and 7–1 in Big 12 conference play.

Additionally, the Jayhawks won their first eleven games before their first loss which was the most consecutive wins to start a season in school history.

This was Warriner's third season with the Jayhawks as he had previously coached the offensive line and served as run-game coordinator in 2003 and 2004.

Louie Matsakis entered the season as the running backs coach and special teams coordinator.

For their season-opening game on September 1, the Jayhawks hosted the defending Mid-American Conference champion Central Michigan Chippewas in the teams' first meeting.

Entering the game the Jayhawks had a 5–5 record against opponents from the MAC with the most recent result being the double-overtime loss to the Toledo Rockets in the third week of the 2006 season.

Led by head coach Tom Amstutz in his seventh season, the Mid-American Conference team had defeated the Jayhawks the previous year in Toledo in a double-overtime loss.

For their fourth and final non-conference game on September 22, the Jayhawks hosted the FIU Golden Panthers of the Sun Belt Conference in the teams' first meeting.

[6] The Jayhawks got their first touchdown on Kansas State's home field since 1999 when Jake Sharp, apparently stopped for a short gain, burst out of a gang of tacklers and sped 20 yards to make it 7–7 with 9:11 left in the first half.

The victory was KU's third in the last four Governor's Cup games against KSU, and increased their all-time lead in the Sunflower Showdown to 64–36–5.

A&M had compiled a 6–3 record for games played against top 10 teams (other than OU and Texas) at Kyle Field.

[9] One day prior to the game, Las Vegas casinos favored Kansas to win by three points.

KU gained a 13–0 lead in the third quarter, after kicker Scott Webb kicked two field goals and Reesing led his team to a 54-yard touchdown drive on 6 plays.

[19] Fox Sports reported, "It was only the second victory for Kansas in the last 39 games against Nebraska, which appears to be coming to pieces in the fourth season of embattled coach Bill Callahan.

"[19] The Kansas Jayhawks game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys attracted a great deal of attention.

The crucial match up was that between cornerback Aqib Talib and star Cowboy wideout Adarius Bowman.

The victory over Iowa State brought KU's record to 11–0, the first time in school history that the football team won 11 games in a season.

Known as the Border Showdown, this year's annual contest was the most significant in recent years as the winner would advance to the Dr Pepper Big 12 Championship Game in San Antonio, Texas, and likely claim the top spot in the BCS rankings and national polls with a win (No.

[23] The Jayhawks entered the contest with an eleven-game winning streak since losing the final game of the 2006 season against their cross-border rivals in Columbia, Missouri, by a score of 42–17.

But they would leave with their second straight loss versus the Tigers and a 6–6 series record since the formation of the Big 12 Conference.