Three Fresno State Players To Watch in Kansas Football Opener

Lance Leipold and the Kansas Jayhawks are gearing up for the highly anticipated season opener against Fresno State this Saturday.

Under first-year head coach Matt Entz, the Bulldogs retained some key players in addition to the players they brought in from the transfer portal.

While Fresno is a very talented squad, Jayhawk fans should keep an eye out for these three players specifically. 

CB Al’zill ion Hamilton

Hamilton, who was named to the Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List this month, is arguably Fresno’s most dangerous weapon.

Entering his fifth year with the Bulldogs, the 5-foot-11, 185-pound corner could potentially find himself on an NFL team in 2026.

He is coming off a 2024 season where he totaled 52 tackles, 13 pass deflections, five tackles for loss, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles. His strong season earned him recognition on the All-Mountain West honorable mention list.

Hamilton will presumably be tasked with guarding WR1 Emmanuel Henderson Jr. for most of the game, which could make Jalon Daniels’ life more difficult if his top target is being blanketed.

QB E.J. Warner

Warner was recently announced as Fresno’s game one starter under center, a move that was widely expected. The son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Kurt Warner is looking to follow in his father’s footsteps.

Across three seasons at Temple (2022-2023) and Rice (2024), he threw for 8,814 yards and 58 touchdowns. 

Warner was one of the most prolific passers in the AAC, but also one of the most reckless. He led the conference in interceptions with 12 or more in every season.

Despite his unpredictable nature, Warner is capable of m aking some big-time throws with his big arm. His ability to make quick reads makes him a game-changing asset and a player KU must contain. 

RB Bryson Donelson

As a true freshman in 2024, Donelson emerged as one of the country's most effective first-year running backs.

Donelson’s numbers from a year ago don’t particularly stand out — he rushed for 462 yards on 77 carries and three touchdowns — but Fresno’s offense will look much different under Coach Entz.

North Dakota State ran the ball 72.5% of the time in Entz's final campaign with the Bison, and Fresno finished with a bottom-15 rushing offense under Tim Skipper last season, a narrative that should change moving forward.

As the top back in a three-man committee consisting of Donelson, Elijah Gilliam, and Rayshon Luke, the Bulldogs’ ground attack could pose a problem for the Jayhawks this weekend.