LAWRENCE, Kan. -- The juxtaposition that the basketball and football teams offer at the University of Kansas is fascinating.

On one hand, you have the basketball. Bill Self's program is among the titans of the sport. It plays in one of college basketball's storied, hallowed venues in Allen Fieldhouse. Every year, Kansas is a threat to win the national championship. It went to the Final Four last season, At worst, the Jayhawks should open the season ranked No. 2 behind Kentucky.

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On the other hand, you have the football, which is the worst Power Five program in the nation. Kansas opened the season by losing to Nicholls State, an FCS team with an undergraduate enrollment of under 6,000. The school's endowment is a paltry $8.5 million.

After that game, Jayhawks athletic director Jeff Long felt compelled to release a statement in support of head coach David Beaty, who is 4-34 since the start of the 2015 season. Kansas was a road underdog at Central Michigan last weekend, a game it won, 31-7 for its first road win of any kind since 2009.

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Since Mark Mangino left Lawrence in 2009, Kansas is on its third full-time head coach, and has a record of 15-89. That includes zero bowl appearances, and a winless 2015 season, Beaty's first at the helm.

To be honest, the whole thing is awe-inspiring. Two big revenue sports at a major Division I school, and they could not be on more opposite ends of the spectrum.

Rutgers: QB Sitkowski not seriously hurt; Day-to-day with shoulder injury

Also, an unrelated note: I have received a bunch of food and drink recommendations for Lawrence and Kansas City this weekend. Expectations are high.

Below, USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey staffers make their predictions for Rutgers-Kansas, the back end of a home-and-home, which the Scarlet Knights defeat the Jayhawks, 27-14, in Piscataway.

Josh Newman, Rutgers beat reporter

When these teams met three years ago, ESPN infamously called the matchup "the worst game ever. That is obviously an exaggeration, but since then, in fairness, Rutgers and Kansas have represented two of the nation's worst Power Five teams.

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If Kansas has a real plan to dig itself out of a decade-long malaise since Mangino left, it has not come to fruition under Beaty, who is squarely working on the hot seat under an AD that did not hire him.

Rutgers, though, should be optimistic about where it can go and who can get it there under Chris Ash. Last week at Ohio State was always penciled as a loss. The injury to Art Sitkowski was an added bonus, but Ash said Thursday the true freshman will play on Saturday. Ash did not come out and say Sitkowski will start, but that is semantics.

This is not a matter of can Rutgers win this game. Instead, the Scarlet Knights should win this game. Rutgers 24-17

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Jerry Carino, sports reporter/news columnist

Did you know? Hall of Fame basketball coach Phog Allen actually served as Kansas football's head coach for one season? In 1920-21 he guided the Jayhawks to a 5-2-1 record in the gridiron, then a 10-8 ledger on the hardwood. Could you imagine Bill Self with a headset and a windbreaker, trying to draw up max pressure on Art Sitkowski before turning his attention to the No. 1 hoops team in the nation? Heck, both programs bounce passes. The Jayhawks are a punchline, and if the Scarlet Knights can't figure this one out, they're on the slippery slope to 2-10. Pressure's on. Rutgers 11, Kansas 10.

Steve Edelson, columnist

The funny thing about Rutgers is we still don’t know anything about them. Texas State was simply overmatched in the opener, and Rutgers was non-competitive at Ohio State last week. Which brings us to Kansas and a very important measuring stick against a similar level Power 5 conference opponent. The Jayhawks lost their opener to Nicholls State. Enough said. If Rutgers is to continue to progress as a program, with the next step involving returning to the postseason and getting that extra month of practice, this is an absolute must-win. Because if they can’t beat Kansas, it’s difficult to image a scenario in which they get to six wins. Rutgers 21-17

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Bob Jordan, Asbury Park Press sports editor

Let’s see, how does Rutgers normally fare the week after being eaten alive by Ohio State? Well, two years ago the Scarlet Knights lost 78-0 to Michigan, but last year … nothing. A bye week in 2017. That sounds like a tremendous idea now but, unless Hurricane Florence veers unexpectedly 1,250 miles off its present course, there’s going to be football at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium on Saturday. Still, Kansas is 4-34 since 2015, and unless Nick Bosa transfers over in the next few hours and reappears in a Jayhawks uniform, there’s opportunity here. Rutgers 28, Kansas 21.

Zach Miller, digital producer

There are bad Power 5 football teams, like Rutgers, then there’s Kansas. The Jayhawks are 4-34 since the start of the 2015 season. Two weeks ago, they lost in overtime to something called Nicholls State. The Scarlet Knights will have absolutely no trouble winning this game, and will pick up a non-conference win against a Power 5 opponent for the first time since 2015 when they beat … Kansas. Rutgers 34, Kansas 3.

Dave Rivera, Bergen Record sports editor

I told you Rutgers would score against Ohio State. A field goal counts! Now it’s on to Kansas, which lost its season opener to Nicholls before defeating Central Michigan last week. The Jayhawks could very well be the worst Power 5 team in the country, so there’s hope for Rutgers to go in there and get a victory. The biggest issue for the Scarlet Knights going forward is the status of QB Artur Sitkowski, who injured his shoulder on a sack in last week’s 52-3 loss at Ohio State. But I have a feeling the Rutgers defense will make a few plays Saturday, and the Knights will pull out a victory. Rutgers 27, Kansas 20

Staff writer Josh Newman: jnewman@app.com; @Joshua_Newman