Kansas Jayhawks Prepare for Fresno State in Football Season Opener
The Kansas Jayhawks are preparing for their season opener against the Fresno State Bulldogs this Saturday. The matchup will feature several notable players from Fresno State, now led by first-year head coach Matt Entz.
One player to watch is cornerback Al’zillion Hamilton. Hamilton was recently named to the Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List and is entering his fifth year with the Bulldogs. In 2024, he registered 52 tackles, 13 pass deflections, five tackles for loss, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles. His performance earned him All-Mountain West honorable mention recognition. Hamilton is expected to be matched up against Kansas wide receiver Emmanuel Henderson Jr., a key factor that could influence quarterback Jalon Daniels’ game if Henderson finds it difficult to get open.
Quarterback E.J. Warner will start under center for Fresno State in game one, as announced earlier this week. Warner is the son of Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinee Kurt Eugene Warner and aims to follow a similar path as his father. Over three seasons at Temple (2022-2023) and Rice (2024), Warner threw for 8,814 yards and 58 touchdowns. He also led his conference in interceptions each season but remains capable of making significant plays thanks to his strong arm and quick decision-making abilities.
Running back Bryson Donelson will lead a committee approach in the Bulldogs’ backfield alongside Elijah Gilliam and Rayshon Luke. Donelson rushed for 462 yards on 77 carries with three touchdowns as a true freshman last year. The offense is expected to shift under Coach Entz; while North Dakota State ran extensively during Entz’s tenure there, Fresno State had one of the nation’s lower-ranked rushing offenses last season under Tim Skipper.
The ground attack featuring Donelson could present challenges for the Jayhawks defense when they take on Fresno State this weekend.
