KU Game Day: Orange Bowl vs Virginia Tech

Orange Fever

KU (11-1) vs Virgina Tech (11-2) | Dolphin Stadium (capacity: 76,500)
Series: First Meeting Time: 7:00 p.m. TV: FOX Line: Virginia Tech (-3.5)

Virginia Tech Resources:
Official, TechSideline.com, TechSuperFans,  Working for the Lunch Pail, Washington Post, Roanoke Times + Randy King

What It Is
KU football has been disrespected all season by most of the national media. They've been referred to as pretenders despite the fact that no one in the KU football program has made a claim to anything. The Jayhawks went out and quietly tried to win their division. They came up short in the KU/MU game of all-time and the criticism toward Kansas soared. The Jayhawks have a taste of the what it's like to be on the national radar and I can guarantee they want more. A legitimate Virginia Tech squad presents the perfect opportunity to silence the critics and set the table for 2008. The Hokies will field the best defense that the Fighting Mangino's have played or likely will play. The experience will pay massive dividends as we add Texas and Oklahoma to our plate next year.

The Key
You have to assume that KU's defense can keep the Hokie offense in check. Because if they don't, the Hawks are in trouble. Given that, the question is can Todd Reesing and the crew solve the Virginia-Tech-7-NFL-player defense? This is where the team mentality is key for KU. Every week this year, the KU team has identified what the opposing "D" will give them and fortunately the Hawks have enough weapons to play it anyway that Tech wants. Speed kills though and it will be interesting to see how KU deals with that. It'll be a little suffocating, but spreading the field and attacking from several different points should eventually pan out for the Hawks. Virginia Tech doesn't have a lot of experience against this type of offense. It's easy to see this one play out much like the the Colorado or A&M games.

Final Analysis
It'd be nice to get out to a quick start. Again, our defense has to perform well. Virginia Tech only averages 3.4 yards per carry, so KU needs to eliminate the Va Tech ground game early on and allow the offense time to solve the equation on their side of the ball.

X-Factor
No gloves for Todd Reesing.

KU Game Day: Iowa State

Senior Day 2007

KU (10-0) vs ISU  (3-8) | Memorial Stadium (capacity: 50,250 ave: 46,074)
Series: KU 46-34-6 Time: 2:30 p.m. TV: ABC Line: KU (-27)

Recent History (all time series link)
1997 KU 34, ISU 24
1998 ISU 23, KU 20
1999 KU 31, ISU 28
2000 ISU 38, KU 17
2001 ISU 49, KU 7
2002 ISU 45, KU 3
2003 KU 36, ISU 7
2004 ISU 13, KU 7
2005 KU 24, ISU 21
2006 KU 41, ISU 10

This Senior Class
Redshirt seniors on today's team came in just after the 2002 season, but as a group, they've been through a lot of tough times and a lot of big wins. They came in near the bottom and with a win today can become the class that led Kansas football to the best season ever -- at least from a win total perspective. There are more honors available this season, but today the focus is on getting a win against ISU and putting the number "11" in the KU record book. They've got something special and it will be an honor to watch these guys take the field in Lawrence one last time. Good luck today and good luck always seniors:

No.	Name	Pos.
75	Anderson, Marcus	Offensive Line
67	Arceo, Rameses	Offensive Line
85	Fine, Derek	Tight End
82	Foster, Jeff	Wide Receiver
86	Henry, Marcus	Wide Receiver
83	Jones, Marc	Tight End
35	McAnderson, Brandon	Running Back
93	McClinton, James	Defensive Line
27	Muhammed, Sadiq	Safety
65	Rodriguez, Cesar	Offensive Line
19	Seymour, Brian	Safety
15	Tucker, Kyle	Punter
39	Webb, Scott	Kicker

Celebrity Deathmatch GameDay Notes: Nebraska at Kansas

The Last Frontier

"To boldly go where no Jayhawk football team has gone before."

The Huskers are the last north team to fall into the "we've beat you two out of the last three years" trap that the Jayhawks have set throughout the division. Yes Mizzou, I know you currently have scoreboard on us, but we'll correct that in a few weeks ... be patient. Anyway, the 2/3 number is a hardcore KU football fan's kind of stat, but we'll just add it to the 99 other reasons that KU wants win tomorrow. With the game just 14.5 hours away, the GameDay Notes are going up early so I can be at Memorial by 8:00 a.m. I got a little help from some friends ...

Creed, The Office

"Oh, I'm a Nebraska fan ... have been for years. In fact, Tom Osbourne is my cousin. We were always asking him if he was going to coach football his whole life. We were like 'c'mon Tom get a real job already.' Then he got elected to congress. We had a pretty good laugh over that one. I guess there's one in  every family ... huh? Oh, the game -- Nebraska 85, Bluebirds 2. The fourth teamers will snap one over the punter's head with 25 seconds left in the game."

Michael Scott, The Office

"Kansas absolutely should, can and might win if they can hold back the Nebraska defense and generate some activity on the field.  By the way, did you know that I knew Mark Mangino. Yes. Absolutely. We went to the same magic camp as kids. He specialized in card tricks and he performs at least one trick for the kids before each game. You see, he gets it. Bill Callahan? Please, he's the Toby of the Big 12 ... a final score? Yes, this one comes down to goaltending. Kansas State Jayhawks 4, Nebraska Lions 1."

Jules Winnfield, Pulp Fiction

"The path of the  righteous man is beset on all sides by the iniquities of the selfish and the  tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he, who, in the name of charity and good will,  shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee.

You want a score, I'll give you a &^%$ ^%$#ing score, Brad!!!!!! The Blue Death Hawks of Kansas 44, The lowlife &*%#! *&^%ing Corn Dogs of Nebraska 5!!!!!!!"

Buffalo Bob, Silence of the Lambs

"It puts on the red pants and enters the stadium. It goes onto the green field.  It holds the brown ball and waits."

 

Game Day Notes -- KU@Texas A&M

Chasing 1909

Series: Texas A&M 7-1
Time: 6:00 p.m.
TV: ESPN2 HD
Line: KU (-3)

"Do you know what my favorite part of the game is? The opportunity to play."
- Mike Singletary

The Rundown
The last time Kansas football opened with an 8-0 record was 1909. The 2007 Jayhawks have heard quite a bit about the 1995 team this year. There are similarities, but this team has the opportunity to go a lot farther. This team is fully equipped to take on any team in the nation. No one outside of Lawrence believes that. Tonight's game is the key to earning respect in the south. The message will be delivered at some point. These guys might as well take the glory and rock the Big 12 world.

This is a winnable game on a huge stage and after five years of difficult, gut-wrenching work for Mark Mangino, his assistants, staff and hundreds of Jayhawk football players, the 2007 Hawks have the opportunity to play football in this arena. Enjoy the atmosphere, but mostly enjoy playing today. Fans -- enjoy watching the game. Really, we've all earned it.

The Key
KU's run defense has been successful for a number of years. This may be their greatest challenge. However, if they can stop A&M from running, the Aggies really have no chance

A Few Things to Think About

• Most of my KSU "friends" have actually been pretty impressed by the KU run. However, they're probably sweating it on the inside. I wonder if they'll be rooting for A&M tonight like KU fans did in 1998.
• A few weeks ago KU hosted Baylor while Missouri played at OU. Today MU hosts Iowa State, while Kansas heads to College Station. Can the Jayhawks succeed where the Tigers failed. You can be sure Mizzou fans won't be rooting for us.
• The Hawks had their two previous road games pretty much in control in the second half, but failed to bury the opponent. In both cases, the defense had to make a stand to preserve wins. Have the Jayhawks learned from that experience? Are they ready to just go ahead and put away a road opponent like they did to Iowa State last year?

Game Day Notes -- KU @ Colorado

Right Now

Series: Colorado 41-22-3
Time: 4:30 p.m.
TV: ESPN HD
Line: KU (-4)

"First they laugh at you, then they ignore you, then they fight you, then you win."
- Mahatma Gandhi on the 2007 KU football team*

The Rundown
The non-con and overall schedule drew plenty of ridicule this summer and fall. There was a brief acknowledgement of the road win at Kansas State, then a sudden media silence. Today, the fight starts. Over a sixty minute period of football this afternoon the 2007 Jayhawks have the opportunity to redefine their image in front of a national television audience. Plus, they can send a direct message to the conference and establish a firm grip on the North division. The challenge? Win a true road game against a 4-3 team that knocked off OU. The Buffaloes will have the home field, but it still measures 100 yards in length. KU has put up big numbers this year, but they actually haven't delivered their best effort yet. There is room for improvement. A few dropped balls here and there, consistency out of the punting game. It's a work in progress. Today is the time to turn it on and take what has been building since 2002. This is why we hired Mangino, so take it.

The Key
KU's front seven needs to make Cody Hawkins miserable for four quarters

Guide to Watching the Game Via Television for the Hardcore KU Tailgater**

• Feel free to pop up the tent in the front yard and ease into a 12-pack
• Display your flag prominently -- inside the house, outside, on the car, etc.
• Prepare for commentators that will have zero knowledge about KU football. If it hurts too much, turn off the sound.
• It's okay to stand during the game
• Don't ever lose your sense of humor, with a gunner like Todd Reesing, the Hawks have the ability to overcome
• Fun TV fact -- If memory serves me correct, this blogger has not witnessed a KU TV win live since the 1995 Aloha Bowl (I went to the Fort Worth Bowl  and this year's KSU game [I did watch the internet live feed of the 2004 MU win])

*Quote was re-arranged for editorial purposes. It's possible Ghandi was talking about something other than football.
**Defined as fan that has attended six games so far this year.

Game Day Notes -- Baylor @ KU

Revenge Game

Series: Baylor 5-3
Line: KU (-26)

The Rundown
KU is playing to win right now and they are looking for revenge. Baylor's allowing 28.2 points a game and KU is averaging 48.8. Todd Reesing and his array of targets should be looking to polish up their game and put up big points. Today, Reesing could make someone famous. On the other side of the ball, Baylor hasn't shown much against good teams. Still, KU will have to be focused as this type of offense can put up points fast. The Bears have a lot of new players in the mix -- getting more experienced every week. You don't want today to be the day that they figure it out. Consider it a low-grade tune-up for an offense we'll face later in the year.

The Key
KU secondary vs Blake Szymanski.

Predictions

• If they shut down Lot 124, parking will be the biggest challenge of the day
• Todd Reesing ties Bill Whittemore's season TD record
• Either B-Mac or Jake Sharp goes for 200 yards
• Aqib Talib two INTs, one TD

Game Day Notes -- KU @ Kansas State

Let's Party!

Series: Kansas 63-36-5
Line: KSU (-3)

The Rundown
Forget about Colorado* for this Saturday and enjoy this as the first week of the north playoffs. Two teams will jump out as frontrunners and two will move to the loser's bracket. Based on what we've seen thus far, you could argue that the winner of the KU/KSU game will be the favorite since they both play defense. Mizzou and Nebraska thus far just have 11 volunteers that line-up while the other team has the ball. Where are we going here? The Sunflower Smackdown is the biggest game of the week in conference and if you don't believe me ... well, they said it on College Football Live today, so it must be true. Anyway, this is the big one. The winner will talk about joining the NFL while the loser will likely be extended a trial membership to the Sun Belt. Thus far, I count Mangino as 1-3 in early games that nearly live up to this level of hype. I guess Prince is 1-0. It would be nice if this was in Lawrence, but something about "fair play" means we've got to go to Manhattan every other year.

The Key
There are far to many angles to narrow this game down to one key:

• Will KU run B-Mac right at Ian Campbell?
• Will Talib shadow Jordy Nelson?
• If not, is Chris Harris ready for Big 12 play?
• Can Todd Reesing beat the rush and connect the dots?
• What will Freeman do with the up the middle pressure that McClinton will apply?
• If Freeman is flushed from the pocket, can KU's ends and linebackers contain him?
• Justin McKinney knocked Limas Sweed down a few rounds in the NFL draft, but can KSU's 5-9 corners handle the squadron of large, fast wideouts that Ed Warriner will spread across the field?
• Will KSU forget about Derek Fine?
• Will KSU generate any kind of a running game to keep the Blue Steel defense honest?
• If KU hits a deep pass, all bets are off.
• Will Mike Rivera track Josh Freeman down?  

Predictions

• At 6:33 a.m., approximately thirty minutes into our voyage to RV land, I'll be coaxed into my first adult beverage. 
• I'll find out that KSU fans have regressed to their 1994 never been there before level. Exihibit A.
• A giant "Screw KU" balloon will rise above BS stadium
• Mike Rivera will ride his Harley into the stadium
• KU wins on a 42-yard Aqib Talib field goal but once again Talib will once again be looked over for Heisman consideration

*Colorado has a fantastic opportunity to beat the beat the best team in the south and lose to the worst all in a seven-day period -- which would of course cause the entire division to supernova.

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

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.

Game Day Notes -- Toledo @ Kansas

This Time It's Personal

Series: KU leads 2-1
Line: KU (-25)

The Rundown
There were a lot of painful losses in 2006, but the Toledo game was the one that kept on giving -- national TV embarrassment, one game shy of getting into a bowl, another road loss, 4-0 start wiped away, etc. You can't re-write history, but the KU football team will attempt to erase the memory tonight. It'll be interesting to see if the Memorial Stadium crowd displays the same passion.

The Key
You could probably start with not turning the ball over five times. It would be good to avoid the pick 6/14-point swing scenario as well. Maybe skip the fourth down end-of-half TD pass giveaway as well. Our defense has improved, so we should be able to stifle the Rockets, but don't underestimate this squad. QB Aaron Opelt did throw for 350 yards last week against CMU with WR Stephens Williams collecting 157 of those yards. Toledo has an experienced secondary with three All-Mac candidates that theoretically would challenge Air Reesing and the massive fleet of Jayhawk wide outs. However, CB Nigel Morris and free safety Tyrrell Herbert have been injured and the Rockets gave up 244 passing yards to CMU and another 244 to Purdue. Toledo also gave up 200+ rushing yards to both teams, so the KU backs should plan on a big day.

Prediction

• KU fans are already spoiled and anything less than 50 points will probably have people asking questions -- the price of success
• Marcus Henry -- 200 yards
• 46K for attendance based on two factors -- revenge for the fans and a lot of local press for the Jayhawks after two blowouts
• Somewhere today, I'll run into a tailgate or party where KU fans will abuse or destroy some sort of Rocket type object
• Aqib Talib gets his first pick of the year
• KU's first TD of the game -- Brandon McAnderson (add your guess to the comments, winner is awarded status as a legend)

Gameday Notes -- SE Louisiana @ Kansas

Avoiding Wolverine Syndrome

Series: First Meeting
Line: No line

The Rundown
It's a little tough for the fans to get up for an FCS opponent, so let's hope that doesn't translate to the players. The Lions (2-9 in 2006) are not two-time FCS champions, so despite the Appalachian State hype, KU fans and players should view this one as a glorified scrimmage. Since it's Band Day, there should be a good crowd on hand and after last week's performance, the crowd could certainly use a little work on the Rock Chalk chant. On the field, this should be another good opportunity for Todd Reesing to work on his game and develop more confidence before Big 12 play. Actually, he's always seemed pretty confident, so let's just say it gives him valuable "live game" experience.

The Key
KU can win even if they come out with a lack of focus, but it sure would be nice to see them retain the killer instinct they had last weekend. I'd like to see the pass rush make some noise early on. A little more aggresiveness for the overall "D" would be a good indicator as well. Both lines should be dominant for the 'Hawks today. It's difficult to identify an advantage that SE Louisiana might have -- other than overconfidence by the Jayhawk Nation.

Predictions

• KU fans will be disappointed with less than 50 points -- that's the bite on this type of game
• Four more TD passes for Todd Reesing to keep him on his season pace of 48
• Band Day is tough to call, but I'll go with 43k for attendance
• Raimond Pendleton will score another TD and quietly hand the ball to the referee
• KU fans will secretly long for an 80's style video of the Jayhawk mascot doing air guitar
• Jake Sharp breaks a big one
• KU's first TD of the game -- Jake Sharp (add your guess to the comments, winner is awarded status as a legend)

Update on Sunday, September 9, 2007 at 05:04PM by DJ Goodwin

--KU fans were not disappointed

--Only two TDs for Reesing, it looks like only 36 for the year now. Of course, he only played 2.5 quarters

--Marcus Herford filled in for Hot Dog on this one

--Does the TD pass count?

--Well, wrong again. Herford scores TD #1

Gameday Notes -- Central Michigan @ KU

"You Wait All Year ... and Then It's Here"

Series: First Meeting
Line: Kansas (-7.5)

The Rundown
I'm not usually a big believer in over-estimating early games, but for this season and at this stage in Mark Mangino's career this is a huge game. If KU wins, this team can go onto a great season. If they lose ... we'll, it's not a disaster, but we'll be looking at another 2005/2006-type season, and I'm not sure that will be enough for Lew. If they win, 4-0 looks possible with a bye prior to the K-State "road" trip. The last time KU went 4-0 -- 1995.

The Key
KU's defensive line and more specifically the ends. To have a great season, KU needs the defense to return to 2005 form and attack opposing quarterbacks. Last year, we kept waiting for improvement from the pass rush and it never really happened. I'll be watching Brorsen (#81) and Larson (#87) carefully tonight and make my final evaluation after the game. This looks like the key to tonight's game and probably to the season as well.

Predictions

• KU fans, known for their tolerance, won't even notice or mention the construction
• KU's first TD of the game -- Marcus Henry (add your guess to the comments, winner is awarded status as a legend)
• If we get less than 45k, I'll whine about it all next week in this blog
• There will be no survivors at our tailgate -- beeritas (sp) are on the drink list and that's a recipe for disaster

Update on Saturday, September 8, 2007 at 08:13AM by DJ Goodwin

Derek Fine scored TD number one and there were no takers on a guess. Sorry, no legend status for week #1.