Isaiah Marshall questionable for Kansas at TCU Saturday

Wednesday night Marshall was probable and nobody blinked. A day later the Jayhawks' first-year starter has a real question mark next to his name.

Henry Greenstein

@HenryGreenstein

Here is tonight's availability report. Starting quarterback Isaiah Marshall is now questionable for KU.

That is a big drop in 24 hours, and it is the first week all season Marshall has shown up on the Kansas report at all. He has started all 7 games for the Jayhawks and has gotten better as the year has gone on: 1,506 passing yards, 11 touchdowns and 7 interceptions, plus 403 rushing yards and 2 more scores on 89 carries. A lot of the Kansas offense runs through his legs, and that is exactly what you worry about when a quarterback suddenly turns up on an injury report.

If he can't go, Kansas hands it to veteran backup Cole Ballard, who only recently got back from his own shoulder injury against Missouri. Going from your improving starter to a backup who is just off the shelf, on the road, is not the swap any Kansas fan wants to make the week of a Big 12 game.

The thing is, TCU's report got ugly too. The Frogs are banged up at the skill spots, with one piece of good news buried in there.

Jeremy Clark

@JClarkHFB247

#TCU will be without RB Jeremy Payne as he's listed as out in the updated injury report. WR Terry Shelton another notable that is out now. Kari Ashley upgraded to probable which is big for the Frogs.

Payne being out was close to expected. He was listed as doubtful on Wednesday, and Saturday makes 2 straight missed games after he got hurt on the first drive of TCU's 17-9 win over Baylor on Oct. 17. He still leads the Horned Frogs with 429 rushing yards on 88 carries, so Jon Denman, who ran 15 times for 58 yards last week, should carry the load again. Losing Shelton too takes another option away from the TCU offense. Tight end Kari Ashley going from questionable to probable is the bright spot for the Frogs, and it is a real one.

So both offenses are taking hits within 48 hours of kickoff, and anyone who bet this game early is watching that line. Kickoff is Saturday, Oct. 31 at 2:30 p.m. CT on FS1 in Fort Worth. The thing to watch is the final availability report and who takes the first Kansas snap in warmups. If it's Ballard, this becomes a very different game.