MTSU Football at Kansas Oct. 3: Kickoff, TV and Jax State Recap

MTSU (2-2) played at Kansas on Saturday, Oct. 3, at 11 a.m. Central on ESPNU, the first meeting between the programs; Kansas won 55-0. The Blue Raiders lost their Conference USA opener 23-13 at Jacksonville State.

Middle Tennessee State headed to the Big 12 on Saturday, Oct. 3. The Blue Raiders played at Kansas on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, at 11 a.m. Central on ESPNU, at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium in Lawrence, Kansas, according to Kansas Athletics. It was the first-ever meeting between the two programs and MTSU's first football game in the state of Kansas, and the game fell on Kansas' Family Weekend.

Update: Kansas won 55-0, dropping MTSU to 2-3, according to MTSU Athletics. Kansas ran for 480 yards.

How to Watch and Listen

• Kickoff: 11 a.m. CT, Saturday, Oct. 3
• TV: ESPNU
• Radio: MTSU's game notes list a local radio broadcast; see GoBlueRaiders for the listen link
• Where: David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, Lawrence, Kansas

Kansas entered 1-2, according to Kansas Athletics, after a 51-6 win over Long Island and losses to No. 23 Missouri (38-21) and Arizona State (24-17) in London. It was MTSU's third game against a Big 12 opponent and its first since a 2006 game at Oklahoma, according to MTSU's game notes.

Recap: Jacksonville State 23, MTSU 13

MTSU fell to 2-2 overall and 0-1 in Conference USA with a 23-13 loss at Jacksonville State on Saturday, Sept. 26, in Jacksonville, Alabama, according to MTSU Athletics.

• Kalen Woods intercepted Jacksonville State quarterback Caden Creel on the game's first drive.
• MTSU trailed 10-0 before Roman Gagliano hit Cam'ron Lacy for a 5-yard touchdown with 27 seconds left in the half, capping a 14-play, 90-yard drive. It was 10-7 at halftime. James Johnson intercepted a pass on the final play of the half and returned it 51 yards.
• Gagliano's 32-yard touchdown pass to Markus Allen put MTSU up 13-10 to open the third quarter.
• Jacksonville State scored the last 13 points on a 38-yard touchdown pass from Creel to Deondre Johnson and field goals of 31 and 29 yards from Garrison Rippa.

Antonio Martin Jr. ran for 106 yards, his third 100-yard game in four games, and Gagliano threw for 216 yards and two touchdowns. Jackson Lowe had a career-high 11 tackles, and Korey Smith led the team with 13. Jacksonville State outgained MTSU 517-319.

What's Next at Floyd Stadium

After a bye week, the Blue Raiders return home to host Delaware on Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 6 p.m. on CBS Sports Network. Other home dates include Kennesaw State on Oct. 28 and Homecoming against WKU on Nov. 7. See the full MTSU football schedule and the Floyd Stadium guide.

Watching from home? Find a spot in the Murfreesboro sports bars guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

What time was the MTSU vs. Kansas game?

MTSU played at Kansas on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, at 11 a.m. Central Time.

What channel was MTSU vs. Kansas on?

The game aired on ESPNU.

Have MTSU and Kansas played before?

No. The Oct. 3, 2026, game was the first meeting between the two programs, according to Kansas Athletics.

What was the score of MTSU vs. Kansas?

Kansas beat MTSU 55-0 on Oct. 3, 2026, in Lawrence.

What was the score of MTSU vs. Jacksonville State?

Jacksonville State beat MTSU 23-13 on Sept. 26, 2026, in the Conference USA opener for both teams.

What is MTSU's football record in 2026?

MTSU is 2-3 overall and 0-1 in Conference USA after the loss at Kansas.

Sources: Kansas Athletics: Kansas vs. Middle Tennessee set for 11 a.m. kickoff on ESPNU, GoBlueRaiders: Blue Raiders face Jayhawks for first time Saturday, GoBlueRaiders: Blue Raiders drop CUSA opener on the road, GoBlueRaiders: Blue Raiders fall on the road to Kansas and the MTSU football schedule.

*Illustration: AI-generated image of a college football game; not a photo from an MTSU game.*