Oct 1, 2022; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks logo at entrance to the field prior to the game between the Kansas Jayhawks and the Iowa State Cyclones at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images William Purnell-Imagn Images

Kansas Football Adds Final Opponent to 2027 Nonconference Schedule

Originally posted on Kansas Jayhawks on SI
By Joshua Schulman | Last updated Jul 1, 2025 10:34 PM ET

The Kansas Jayhawks continue to piece together the school's future football schedules, locking in matchups years in advance to round out upcoming nonconference slates.

According to a public records request from the Lawrence Journal-World, Kansas will play against Southeast Missouri State in Week 1 of the 2027 campaign.

New: Kansas football will host Southeast Missouri State during Week 1 of the 2027 season, according to documents obtained by the Journal-World via a public records request.
— Henry Greenstein (@HenryGreenstein) July 1, 2025

The Jayhawks' 2027 nonconference schedule now features home games against SEMO and Louisiana Tech, with a road tilt at Washington State.

Lance Leipold had previously stuck with a trend of pairing a Power 4 opponent with a Group of 5 team and an FCS school in nonconference play, but KU does not have a Power 4 school on its 2027 schedule right now.

SEMO is one of the more competitive teams at its level, reaching the FCS playoffs this past season and finishing with a 9-4 record.

The Redhawks have been coached by Tom Matukewicz since 2014 and currently compete in the OVC-Big South Football Association.

This season, the Jayhawks will take on Fresno State in Week 0, Wagner the following week, and Missouri in a revival of the Border Showdown.

It isn't unusual for matchups to be postponed or pushed back years in advance, but KU's early slate that season looks quite manageable compared to other Big 12 schools.

This article first appeared on Kansas Jayhawks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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