The origins of the Kansas Jayhawks date back to 1890. The Jayhawks have been the source of a number of national talents in the time since, with notable figures including Gale Sayers, John Riggins, Steve Towle and Bobby Douglass.
The Jayhawks have made a number of Orange Bowl appearances, with attempts in 1948, 1969 and 2005. Their current home field is the Memorial Stadium, opened in 1921 and located on the university campus. The stadium was the first to be built on a university campus west of the Mississippi river.
The Kansas Jayhawks are also part of one of the longest interrupted rivalries in college football history. The team has played the "Border Showdown" against the Missouri Tigers in every year since 1891, with the winner collecting a trophy known as the Indian War Drum.