Opponent Update -- Week #4

Toledo picks up a legitimate win for the non-cons with a 36-35 home win over Iowa State. The victory moves the group to 3-13 overall. Central Michigan is hardly worth talking about anymore after a 14-44 lost to N. Dakota State. Toledo has got to be kicking themselves over their loss to the Chips in week #2. SLU is now 1-3 after falling to another FBS team -- 27-35 at Tulane.

Again, from a first hand look perspective, FIU looked to be the best team that KU faced this year. You'd think that they make some noise in the Sun Belt, but they are getting ready for back-to-back weeks against two of the best teams in the conference -- @ Middle Tennessee, then Troy (beat OSU). They also play a crazy schedule in that seven of their first nine are on the road. In fact, they only play five home games all year.

Central Michigan #113 (1-3)
L @ Kansas 7-52
W Toledo 52-31
L @Purdue 22-45
L N. Dakota St. 14-44
Next: N. Illinois

SE Louisiana #190 (1-3)
L @ New Mexico St. 14-35
L @ Kansas 0-62
W Kentucky Wesleyan 79-7
L @Tulane 27-35
Next: Stephen F. Austin

Toledo #115 (1-3)
L Purdue 24-52
L @ Central Michigan 31-52
L @ Kansas 13-45
W Iowa State 36-35
Next: Western Michigan

Florida International #160 (0-4)
L @ Penn State 0-59
L Maryland 10-26
L @Miami (Fla) 9-23
L @Kansas 3-55
Next: @Middle Tennessee

# = Sagarin Ranking

ESPN's Schlabach On Todd Reesing

The Rocket got a mention from ESPN columnist Mark Schlabach:

"Kansas' Todd Reesing threw for 368 yards and one touchdown on 23-for-37 passing in a 55-3 blowout of Florida International."

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/columns/story?columnist=schlabach_mark&id=3033817&campaign=rss&source=NCFHeadlines

Follow-up to Saturday's FIU Predictions

Todd Reesing over 60% on completions
23 of 37 for 62.1% -- the Rocket delivers

47k for attendance -- there's a little bit of a bandwagon now and it's the last game in Lawrence for a while
The fans have had their fill -- only 42,134. With a win on October 6, this will be the lowest attendance of the year

Someone will try to turn in an un-used FIU ticket to the Red Lyon for a free beer
I'm sure this happened

Aqib Talib replicates his Toledo effort with another TD reception plus an INT
I was way off -- only a 100 yard interception return for TD

First TD predictions: Derek Fine (DJ), Marcus Henry (ROWYHO)
Dakota Lewis on the blocked punt recovery. It's so obvious now.

Around the North | Week #4

Power Shift

Thanks to Ball State, Missouri (4-0) is officially the team to beat in the North. The Tigers took care of business on Saturday beating Illinois St. (FCS) 38-17, but it appears the idea that the Tiger defense is going to develop is starting to fade. Mizzou allowed Geno Blow to gain 116 yard on the ground and Eyad Salem to catch seven passes for 106 yards. Chase Daniel threw his fourth interception of the year ...

Kansas (4-0) is viewed with skepticism due to the schedule, but the fact is they are 4-0 and have looked good doing it. It can all change on October 6, but winning is all the Hawks know right now. The defense is gaining confidence and playing fast. Are they ready to play at Big 12 speed? It's always nice to have a bye week to prepare for the critical games ...

Kansas State (2-1) had a bye week, so there is no fun new angle to explore this week. The matchup at Texas this Saturday will have everyone's attention. Are the 'Cats good or not? The wait is almost over ...

If Nebraska (3-1) would have lost on Saturday, at least Ball State could have left the stadium happy. The way it played out though, I can't imagine a more joyless place than Lincoln on Saturday evening. The Huskers allowed 40 points to Ball State at home. RIP Blackshirts. So long, Cosgrove ...

Okay, now this week it looks like Colorado (2-2) could figure into the mix for the North race. The Buffs smoked Miami (Ohio) 42-0. We know the defense is good, but can the offense play against BCS teams. I'm not sure if the matchup with OU in Boulder will give us any clarity on CU ...

Well, what can you say? Not a lot of teams win in the Glass Bowl. Iowa State (1-3) fell to the mighty Rockets 36-35 on the road and the 'Clones solidified their grasp on the sixth spot. Still, they did beat Iowa and really going to Lincoln just isn't what it used to be. Score watching for the Clones and Huskers this week will certainly be interesting ...

North Sagarin Rankings -- Rank/Schedule
Missouri -- 19/108
Nebraska -- 17/16
Kansas -- 26/177
Colorado -- 58/26
Kansas St -- 61/125
Iowa St -- 95/81

Full Rankings

KU Rolls to 4-0, 55-3

One Final Preseason Romp

Preliminary Note -- October 6 is my Superbowl.

As much as KU has been criticized for the one-time "cupcake" schedule, it feels great right now to be a Jayhawk football fan. The players and coaches are probably sky high as well. Not a bad way to feel going into the "road playoff" game versus State in two weeks.

So, let's talk FIU. The Panthers really challenged KU in the first half. The Jayhawks pretty much had things in control, but the two McAnderson fumbles meant that the score wasn't quite where it should be. At 20-3, a TD by FIU would have made a game of it in the third quarter. All of the Hawk Digest pundits agreed, Florida International looked like the best team of the four that we played -- at least from a talent and speed perspective. Really, the Panthers just had trouble executing at critical times. Of course, that could have something to do with a Blue Steel defense that was flying to the ball.

Official Game Notes | Recap

From Row 53

• Sometimes you look across the stadium at the empty student section in the second half and wonder if it wouldn't be better to be sipping a beer at the tailgate. Aqib Talib emphatically killed that idiotic notion with one of the greatest plays I've seen at Memorial. When he started to head out of the endzone, there was an instant of, "what are you doing?" By the time he took a couple strides, it was, "I know what he's doing ... he's going the distance."
• The Heisman Campaign is alive.
• James Holt looked like the man out there. In fact, the linebackers looked like a trio of badass speed demons all night. Thirteen tackles for Joe M. Nicely done.
• It starting to look likes shades of 2005 for the defense. You are not going to be able to run on these guys. The thing we are missing is the contain and speed rush that Jermail Ashley and Charlton Keith provided. Brorsen and Larson are solid, but KU fans have the bar set at Ashley/Keith. Certainly I'm not discounting our ends and I believe they will continue to get better, but it's not quite there yet.
• Onyegbule continues to improve at the pass rush, but I suspect he's struggling with run defense. Just an educated guess there as to why he doesn't see playing time in the first half.
• The secondary looks like it could be better than 2005; however, the safeties did let receivers get behind them on a few occasions last night.
• Chris Harris held good coverage against FIU.
• I love the Kerry Meier formation. It's not an absolutely new innovation, but yes having two quarterbacks on the field opens up a world of possibilities (not to mention a nightmare for the defense). Keep this in the mix not as a one-time gimmick, but as a package that is rolled out for two or three drives each game. Also, I disagree with the KC Star. I don't have a problem with showing it in preseason. It doesn't appear to be a trick play. It looks like a full workable package. K-10 is pretty fast after a couple of steps and in a straight line. I can't wait to see him throw out of that formation.
• Let's not make too much of the B-Mac's fumbles. Yes, he was carrying the ball loose, but that's correctable. The guy was looking for the endzone and I like that attitude. He'll tuck it in a little better in the future. Even though he's a senior, he's still getting experience as a true ball carrier.
• Again, the score is out of hand, but I think FIU is just about done with this losing streak. QB Wayne Younger is quick and has good instincts for getting out of the pocket. They look like a team that has some talent, but just hasn't quite jelled while taking on top-level teams. I'll be surprised if these guys don't collect two or three wins in conference. We'll check back in on them later. Disclaimer: The punter has got to settle down.
• If we get about 30 kegs for the second half, can we get the students to come back into the game? I don't want to be too hard on them. I just miss them because they truly are a factor in the game. However, it's starting to get embarrassing. Unfortunately, the entire team is staring at that empty section, but credit to the Hawks, they seem to play hard no matter what the crowd is doing.
• After Aqib retires from a 15-year NFL career, I think he should go into stand-up. His interviews crack me up.

"When I caught it in the end zone, I already had a wall formed.  I had some great blocking.  I saw four really great blocks, and I know I probably missed a couple.  There was some real good blocks on my return.  When I made the last cut, I figured I had one guy left to beat.  I knew I caught it in the end zone, but I didn't know how far.  When I catch it, I am bringing it out."
--Aqib Talib

Kansas 55, Florida International 3

Score by Quarters     1  2  3  4    Score
-----------------    --  -- -- --   -----
Fla. International..  3  0  0  0  -  3    Record: (0-4)
Kansas.............. 10 10 21 14  - 55    Record: (4-0)

Scoring Summary:
1st 12:56 KU - Lewis, Dakota 0 yd blocked punt return (Webb, Scott kick), , FL 0 - KU 7
    08:23 KU - Webb, Scott 30 yd field goal, 9-60 3:01, FL 0 - KU 10
    05:31 FL - Abed, Chris 42 yd field goal, 8-54 2:52, FL 3 - KU 10
2nd 08:33 KU - Reesing, Todd 9 yd run (Webb, Scott kick), 8-66 2:59, FL 3 - KU 17
    04:27 KU - Webb, Scott 37 yd field goal, 8-56 2:18, FL 3 - KU 20
3rd 09:46 KU - Fine, Derek 19 yd pass from Reesing, Todd (Webb, Scott kick), 3-39 1:12, FL 3 - KU 27
    08:38 KU - Sharp, Jake 1 yd run (Webb, Scott kick), 2-33 0:13, FL 3 - KU 34
    01:03 KU - McAnderson, Bra 23 yd run (Webb, Scott kick), 10-75 3:48, FL 3 - KU 41
4th 12:54 KU - Talib, Aqib 100 yd interception return (Webb, Scott kick), , FL 3 - KU 48
    09:19 KU - McAnderson, Bra 5 yd run (Webb, Scott kick), 4-37 1:28, FL 3 - KU 55

                                     FL       KU
FIRST DOWNS...................       15       26
RUSHES-YARDS (NET)............   36-122   36-224
PASSING YDS (NET).............      133      391
Passes Att-Comp-Int...........  36-16-2  39-25-1
TOTAL OFFENSE PLAYS-YARDS.....   72-255   75-615
Fumble Returns-Yards..........      0-0      1-9
Punt Returns-Yards............     1-19      3-8
Kickoff Returns-Yards.........    7-164     2-55
Interception Returns-Yards....      1-0    2-100
Punts (Number-Avg)............   8-29.9   1-36.0
Fumbles-Lost..................      5-3      2-2
Penalties-Yards...............     3-33     6-65
Possession Time...............    32:29    27:31
Third-Down Conversions........  5 of 17  4 of 11
Fourth-Down Conversions.......   0 of 2   0 of 2
Red-Zone Scores-Chances.......      0-1      6-7
Sacks By: Number-Yards........      0-0      1-5


RUSHING: Fla. International-Younger, Wayne 10-58; Ned, A'mod 15-24;
Jones, James 8-23; Berry, Kendall 2-23; TEAM 1-minus 6. Kansas-McAnderson, Bra
13-105; Reesing, Todd 8-47; Sharp, Jake 6-42; Bean, Donte 5-16; Boyd-Anderson
3-8; Meier, Kerry 1-6.

PASSING: Fla. International-Younger, Wayne 16-33-1-133; Anderson, Colt
0-3-1-0. Kansas-Reesing, Todd 23-37-1-368; Meier, Kerry 2-2-0-23.

RECEIVING: Fla. International-Frierson, Jason 4-42; Ellingson, Greg 3-29;
Ellis, John 3-minus 4; Turner, Trenard 2-37; Kirchenberg, E. 1-13; Berry,
Kendall 1-11; Dix, Elliott 1-4; Ned, A'mod 1-1. Kansas-Fine, Derek 7-70; Fields,
Dexton 4-77; Briscoe, Dezmon 3-53; Sharp, Jake 3-46; Henry, Marcus 2-38;
McAnderson, Bra 1-39; Talib, Aqib 1-19; Herford, Marcus 1-16; Meier, Kerry 1-15;
Dedeaux, Bradle 1-11; Foster, Jeff 1-7.

INTERCEPTIONS: Fla. International-Fleming, Cory 1-0. Kansas-Talib, Aqib
1-100; Thornton, Justi 1-0.

Stadium: Memorial Stadium      Attendance: 42134
Kickoff time: 6:05 pm   End of Game: 9:24 pm   Total elapsed time: 3:19
Officials: Referee: Cooper Castlebe; Umpire: John Mascarello; Linesman: Don Kapral;
Line judge: Tom Keeling; Back judge: Brian Ernest; Field judge: Bobby Bernard;
Side judge: Tim Murray;
Temperature: 83 F      Wind: ESE 7mph  Weather: Sunny

DEFENSE

SACKS (UA-A): Fla. International-None. Kansas-Onyegbule, Max 0-1;
McClinton, Jame 0-1.

TACKLES (UA-A): Fla. International-Mitchell, R. 8-4; Martinez, Ryan 3-3;
Phillips, A. 4-1; Singleton, L. 3-2; Smith, Toronto 1-4; Dominguez, M. 3-1;
Gaitor, Anthony 3-1; Jones, Malik 1-3; Wellington, M. 1-3; Bryant, Scott 1-3;
Johnson, Dez 2-1; Wilson, Jarvis 1-2; Betancourt, Jon 1-2; Brown, Kreg 1-2;
Jones, Reginald 1-2; Adger, Audric 1-1; Penerton, J. 1-1; Clawson, Tyler 1-0;
Turner, Trenard 1-0; Henderson, Kent 0-1; Newman, Quentin 0-1. Kansas-Mortensen,
Joe 5-8; Rivera, Mike 2-7; Holt, James 5-3; Talib, Aqib 1-4; Harris, Chris 3-1;
Larson, John 2-2; Bacheyie, Tang 2-2; McClinton, Jame 1-3; Lewis, Dakota 3-0;
Resby, Patrick 1-2; Blakesley, Cale 0-3; Muhammed, Sadiq 2-0; Green, Gary 1-1;
Strozier, Phill 1-1; Stuckey, Darrel 0-2; Dudley, Drew 0-2; Wright, Arist 0-2;
Wheeler, Jeff 1-0; Springer, Justi 0-1; Haselhorst, Tod 0-1; Brorsen, Russel
0-1; Laptad, Jake 0-1; Greene, Jamal 0-1; Thornton, Justi 0-1; Onyegbule, Max
0-1.

Game Day Notes -- Florida International @ KU

Hawks Will Ruin the Panther Party

Series: First Meeting
Line: KU (-32.5)

The Rundown
The Golden Panthers are indeed on a 15-game losing streak, but if are into score comparison theory, then FIU should provide a good challenge for KU this evening. The latest is Miami crushing A&M 34-17 at the Orange Bowl. It wasn't that close as Miami led 31-3 in the fourth quarter. FIU lost 23-9 at the Orange Bowl last week and although the Panthers struggled to generate offense, they did a better job than the Aggies at slowing down the Hurricanes. The game was still tight in the third quarter with Miami leading 13-3. The Panthers were smoked 59-0 by Penn State, but held Maryland to a respectable score (26-10). FIU will not be in fear of KU and the Panthers likely regard the 'Hawks as their easiest opponent to date.

The Key
KU could use a strong start to knock the Panthers out early. FIU is probably already thinking about Sun Belt play, but if you let them hang around, they may start to think they can win. They have the some players with speed that could create problems for the 'Hawks, so this is not a team to toy around with. It's hard to imagine the Panthers putting up much for points, so KU's challenge will be to execute properly on offense. We're in game four now, so it's not unreasonable to expect the 'Hawks to have an opening drive for a TD (CMU-punt, SLU-punt, Toledo-punt).

FIU Marquee Player
CB Lionell Singleton (5-10, 174, #22). He handles kick and punt returns as well as corner duties. He had four picks in the first five games last year.

Predictions

• Todd Reesing over 60% on completions
• 47k for attendance -- there's a little bit of a bandwagon now and it's the last game in Lawrence for a while
• Someone will try to turn in an un-used FIU ticket to the Red Lyon for a free beer
• Aqib Talib replicates his Toledo effort with another TD reception plus an INT

The Ultimate in Selfishness

Yesterday, the Red Lyon was my favorite bar in Lawrence. I've made my last visit. The over-reaction by the downtown Lawrence merchants is truly embarrassing. It's a convincing argument -- one day out of 730 is going to crush the Lawrence economy.

Red Lyon Urges Arrowhead Boycott

Florida International -- Quick Primer

Beware of the Hungry Panther

Florida International Preview Capsule (Hawk Digest)

Official Site | FIUathletics.com Forum  |  ScoutFIU.com Forum | KC Star Preview

Last Week's Box Score -- 23-9 loss @ Miami (Fla)

Stats Rundown:

• Yes, FIU has lost 15 straight games.
• Kansas is 4-1 before a bye week.
• KU's average margin of victory against Sun Belt teams is 10 (6-0).
• FIU quarterback Wayne Younger had 66 yards rushing last week versus Miami.
• Younger's QB rating is 82.1. His TD/INT ratio is 2 to 4 this season.
• FIU has allowed five sacks this year.
• Texas A&M lost 34-17 last night at Miami; therefore, FIU > A&M?
• FIU's leading rusher is A'mod Ned with 119 yards for the year. His average per carry is 5.0.

Predict KU's First TD -- Florida International

I thought I'd move this up in the week to get a few more people in on the action. It's getting old monitoring my weekly misses.

KU's first TD of the game (vs FIU) -- Derek Fine (add your guess to the comments, winner is awarded status as a legend)

Big 12 Power Rankings | Week #3

1) Oklahoma (3-0, 0-0) #3 CBS
Nothing has changed here, OU appears to be a step above. The Sooners head out on the road ... all the way to 2-0 Tulsa.
CBS Schedule Rank: 90
Results: W N. Texas 79-10 | W Miami (Fla) 51-13  | W Utah St 54-3
Next: @Tulsa (2-0)

Week-by-Week:
HD: 1-1-1
CBS: 10-3-3

2) Texas (3-0, 0-0) #9 CBS
The weakest 3-0 powerhouse in the nation? Another close score against UCF. They'll move to 4-0 this week, but the crime wave is starting to become a distraction. The Horns could use a blowout.
CBS Schedule Rank: 8
Results: W Arkansas St 21-13 | W TCU 34-13 | W UCF 35-32
Next: Rice (0-3)

Week-by-Week:
HD: 2-2-2
CBS: 8-9-9

3) Missouri (3-0, 0-0) #28 CBS
The Tigers move up by virtue of the Blackshirt non-performance in Lincoln. This week is the last chance for MU to hold a team under 20 this year.
CBS Schedule Rank: 58
Results: W Illinios 40-34 | W @Mississippi 38-25 | W W. Michigan 52-24
Next: Illinois St (2-1)

Week-by-Week:
HD: 5-4-3
CBS: 41-36-28

4) Texas A&M (3-0, 0-0) #14 CBS
Okay, that's more like it. We'll find out what we need to know about A&M tonight in Miami. A win there moves these guys up to #2 in this poll.
CBS Schedule Rank: 101
Results: W Montana St 38-7 | W Fresno St 47-45 | W ULM 54-14
Next: @Miami (FLA) (2-1)

Week-by-Week:
HD: 4-5-4
CBS: 21-17-14

5) Nebraska (2-1, 0-0) #19 CBS
They have the ability to score, but allowing any team to come into Lincoln and run it down your throat at this stage in the program is not going to fly. The Huskers will feel better after a visit from the Cardinals, but the skeptics are howling. Still, the division title is there for the taking -- it's not like MU's defense is dominant either.
CBS Schedule Rank: 59
Results: W Nevada 52-10 | W @Wake Forest 20-17 | L USC 31-49
Next: Ball State (2-1)

Week-by-Week:
HD: 3-3-5
CBS: 19-13-19

6) Kansas (3-0, 0-0) #43 CBS
Now KU is rolling it up on an off day. That's a pretty good sign. Warning to the North -- the defense is getting better each week. FIU is going to be tougher than everyone thinks, but even with a win, KU has gained as much respect as they can get. It's going to take a win at Manhattan to step up a level.
CBS Schedule Rank: 103
Results: W Central Michigan 52-7 | W SE Louisiana 62-0 | W Toledo 45-13
Next: Florida International (0-3)

Week-by-Week:
North: 8-6-6
CBS: 52-47-43

7) Texas Tech (3-0, 0-0) #34 CBS
It's pretty much the Bill Murray/Groundhog Day syndrome at Tech. The same story each year. This week they visit a struggling OSU team for a chance at an early lead in the South.
CBS Schedule Rank: 66
Results: W SMU 49-9 | W UTEP 45-31 | W Rice 59-24
Next: @OSU (1-2)

Week-by-Week:
HD: 6-7-7
CBS: 45-41-34

8) Kansas State (2-1, 0-0) #45 CBS
Just like old times. Gameball picking his nose on the sideline and 60+ points on the scoreboard. Auburn's struggles are affecting the vibe a bit for KSU. Two weeks to prepare for a trip to Austin isn't a bad idea.
CBS Schedule Rank: 119
Results: L Auburn 13-23 | W San Jose St 34-14 | W Missouri St 61-10
Next: Bye Week, then @ Texas (3-0)

Week-by-Week:
HD: 9-9-8
CBS: 54-50-45

9) Oklahoma St (1-2, 0-0) #66 CBS
Is it time to push the panic button? Not yet, but a loss at home to Tech would be the start of a nasty spiral.
CBS Schedule Rank: 92
Results: L @Georgia 14-35 | W FAU 42-6 | L @Troy 23-41
Next: Texas Tech (3-0)

Week-by-Week:
HD: 7-8-9
CBS: 37-34-66

10) Colorado (1-2, 0-0) #61 CBS
The defense is good. A win this week and it's really not too bad to come out of that non-con schedule 2-2. CU is definitely a little bit of a mystery right now. Can they improve on offense during Big 12 play?
CBS Schedule Rank: 53
Results: W Colorado St 31-28 OT | L @ASU 14-33 | L Florida St 6-16
Next: Miami (Ohio) (1-2)

Week-by-Week:
HD: 10-10-10
CBS: 53-59-61

11) Iowa State (1-2, 0-0) #103 CBS
Not dead yet. They had to move up after a win against a decent Big 10 program. A win at Toledo after putting it all into that rivalry match would be a good sign.
CBS Schedule Rank: 45
Results: L Kent St 14-23 |  L N. Iowa 13-24 | W Iowa 15-13
Next: @Toledo (0-3)

Week-by-Week:
HD: 12-12-11
CBS: 70-113-103

12) Baylor (2-1, 0-0) #78 CBS
Not exactly a dominating win against Texas State. Still, should the Bears be in the cellar? Maybe not, but we need to see the Bears go 3-1, before pushing them back up the list.
CBS Schedule Rank: 111
Results: L @TCU 0-27 | W Rice 42-17 | W Texas St 34-27
Next: @Buffalo (1-2)

Week-by-Week:
HD: 11-11-12
CBS: 80-78-78

Follow-up To Last Saturday's Toledo Predictions

Checking in on my predictions from last Saturday morning: 

--KU fans are already spoiled and anything less than 50 points will probably have people asking questions -- the price of success

Result: A few concerns, but really not too bad. People seem to enjoying the good times.

--Marcus Henry -- 200 yards

Result: 133 yards. A few dropped balls could have definitely put him over 150.

--46K for attendance based on two factors -- revenge for the fans and a lot of local press for the Jayhawks after two blowouts

Result: 48,112. The bandwagon is rolling for now. Toledo had about 12 fans there. Of course, so did the student section with about 10 minutes left in the third quarter.

--Somewhere today, I'll run into a tailgate or party where KU fans will abuse or destroy some sort of Rocket type object

Result: No rockets were harmed during the pre-game tailgating.

--Aqib Talib gets his first pick of the year

Result: Bingo

--KU's first TD of the game -- Brandon McAnderson (add your guess to the comments, winner is awarded status as a legend)

Result: Talib. Three straight misses.