Baylor at Kansas kickoff set for 1 p.m. (Central)
Oct. 13, 2007
A thunderstorm in Lawrence, Kan. has delayed the start of the Baylor at Kansas football game. The game will start at 1 p.m. (Central). The game was originally scheduled to kickoff at 11:30 a.m. Central.
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#20 Kansas Football Returns Home To Host Baylor
QUICKLY — #20 Kansas (5-0 overall, 1-0 Big 12) will return home to host Baylor (3-3, 0-2 Big 12) on Saturday, Oct. 13 in a game that will be televised on Fox College Sports Central beginning at 11:30 a.m… This week’s game is the only home game for Kansas in the month of October… KU started a stretch last week with three of four games coming on the road… KU is 2-3 in its first home Big 12 game of the season in the Mark Mangino era with the last two losses coming by a total of four points (lost by one to Texas Tech in 2004 and by three to Texas A&M last year)… KU is one of just 11 undefeated teams in the NCAA (see chart on page 6)… KU has won five straight games for its longest winning streak since winning seven in a row in 1995… Dating back to last year, KU has won eight of its last nine games… KU has also won four of its last five Big 12 games dating back to last season.
IN THE POLLS — After winning at #24 Kansas State Saturday, Kansas is ranked in the AP poll (20th) for the first time since Sept. 28, 1996 when the Jayhawks were listed 20th before losing 45-42 at Utah. KU’s win at Kansas State marked the Jayhawks’ first win vs. a ranked team since beating #25 Iowa State 24-21 in 2005 as well as its first road win against a ranked team since posting a 38-17 victory at then 15th-ranked Oklahoma in 1995. The win was the first for an un-ranked Kansas team against a ranked opponent since beating number two Oklahoma 28-11 in 1984. KU is ranked 20th in the AP, USA Today and Harris polls.
RIGGINS TO BE ADDED TO RING OF HONOR — John Riggins who played at KU from 1968-70, will become the 15th player to have his name added to the Memorial Stadium Ring of Honor when he is recognized during halftime of KU’s game against Baylor this Saturday. During the season opener against Central Michigan on Sept. 1, Willie Pless was added to the Ring of Honor. Other former Kansas players who have been recognized in the Ring of Honor include Nolan Cromwell, John Hadl, Curtis McClinton, Gale Sayers, Bobby Douglass, David Jaynes, George Mrkonic, Otto Schnellbacher, John Zook, Ray Evans, Bruce Kallmeyer, Gil Reich, and Oliver Spencer. (For more information see page seven of this release).
GIVEAWAY — Jayhawk Fans entering Memorial Stadium on Saturday will receive a commemorative KU Football Flag while supplies last.
FORMER LETTERMEN IN ATTENDANCE — The Baylor game highlights K-Day weekend as all former lettermen are invited back to campus. A Friday night social is planned where lettermen can reunite with past teammates, celebrate former KU football head coach Don Fambrough’s birthday, and attend Late Night in the Phog, which begins at 6:45 p.m. On Saturday, lettermen can attend the Coach Fambrough Birthday Reunion on the Hill, the 25/50 year Pin Ceremony, and a terrific tailgate with plenty of food and beverages. More than 300 former KU student-athletes, managers and trainers are expected to take part in the festivities for the upcoming K-Day weekend on October 12 and 13.
LAST TIME OUT — Dexton Fields hauled in the game-winning fourth-quarter touchdown to help Kansas defeat 24th-ranked Kansas State, 30-24 at Manhattan. The win was the fifth straight for KU, which started league play with a victory for the first time since 2003, defeated a ranked team for the first time since 2005 and defeated a ranked team on the road for the first time since 1995. The win also stopped KU’s eight-game losing streak at Manhattan and gave the Jayhawks consecutive wins against its intrastate rival for the first time since 1988-90. KU has now won three of the last four against KSU. KSU scored first and had KU trailing for the first time this season. However, the teams exchanged touchdowns in the first half and were tied at 14 at the break. KU then went ahead 21-14 on a Dezmon Briscoe 28-yard touchdown reception before KSU scored the next 10 points to go ahead 24-21. Dexton Fields caught a 30-yard scoring pass to put the Jayhawks back up 27-24 with 6:27 remaining. KU then added a field goal with 2:21 left to lead 30-24 and Aqib Talib’s interception on KSU’s final possessions sealed the game. After gaining just 38 yards on 16 plays in the first quarter, KU finished with 437 yards of total offense, while KSU managed 363. Three Jayhawks recorded interceptions in Talib, DE John Larson and CB Kendrick Harper, who was playing for the first time this year. Joe Mortensen recorded 11 tackles to reach double-digits in consecutive games.
THE SERIES — Baylor leads the all-time series by a 5-3 count, but Kansas leads in Lawrence 3-1. The teams met three times prior to the formation of the Big 12 Conference with Kansas claiming the first contest 22-0 in 1971. The Bears then won matchups in 1988 and 1989 before five meetings as Big 12 members. The home team has won in seven of the eight games in the series, including each of the last six matchups. Four of the five matchups since the teams joined the same league have been decided by one score with the only exception being a 45-10 KU win in 1999. The last three games since that 35-point margin have been decided by a total of 11 points, including last year’s 36-35 BU victory. KU head coach Mark Mangino is 1-2 against Baylor since taking over at Kansas. The Jayhawks have lost 11 straight games against members of the South division of the Big 12 since defeating Baylor 28-21 in Lawrence in 2003.
KU-BU LAST YEAR — Baylor scored 19 fourth quarter points to overcome a 35-17 deficit and claim a 36-35 victory at Waco, Texas last season. Kansas led 35-17 at the end of the first half and carried that advantage into the final 10 minutes of the game before the Bears scored three times in the final 9:22 of the contest. Jon Cornish led KU with 196 rushing yards and Kerry Meier and Adam Barmann combined for just 87 passing yards as the Jayhawks had 382 yards of total offense. Baylor ran up 460 yards, including 394 through the air.
KU-BU LAST TIME AT LAWRENCE — Kansas celebrated its homecoming with a 28-21 victory against Baylor on Oct. 18, 2003 in the team’s last meeting at Lawrence. Current KU offensive graduate assistant coach Bill Whittemore threw for 252 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Jayhawk offense. KU rolled up 384 yards of total offense while holding Baylor to 285. KU scored first, but the visiting Bears added two touchdowns and led 14-7 late in the second quarter. However, Whittemore found Charles Gordon on an 18-yard scoring play to close out the first half with the score tied at 14. Neither team scored in the third quarter before KU built up a 28-14 lead behind a Mark Simmons 40-yard touchdown reception and a John Randle 12-yard run. Baylor added a touchdown with 5:10 remaining to close the gap to a touchdown. The Bears had one last chance, but KU’s Banks Floodman recorded his first career interception to seal the game.
KU-BU CONNECTIONS — KU lists 26 players on its roster from the state of Texas… KU WR coach Tim Beck was a successful high school head coach in the state of Texas at Carollton Turner (1999-2001) and Mansfield Summit (2002-04)… RB/Special Teams coach Louie Matsakis coached in the state of Texas at Texas Tech (2000-02) and Texas State-San Marcos (2003)… KU strength and conditioning coach Chris Dawson was born in Houston, Texas… Baylor OG James Barnard played at Shawnee Mission South and Coffeyville CC in the state of Kansas.
JAYHAWKS VS. BU — Current KU players have played against Baylor just once in their careers – last season. Here is a look at how they did statistically: Kerry Meier threw for 62 yards and ran for 62 more. Jake Sharp ran for 24 yards, Brandon McAnderson ran for 14 yards and caught one pass for two yards. Dexton Fields caught four balls for 36 yards and Derek Fine had one reception for 17 yards. Both Arist Wright and Anthony Webb recorded interceptions and Justin Thornton had nine tackles (second best of his career). Wright had five tackles as well.
2-0 CONFERENCE START? — After winning its Big 12 opener last week at then 24th-ranked Kansas State, Kansas has a rare opportunity to start a conference season 2-0 when it hosts Baylor this week. Since 1975, KU has won its league opener just seven times in those 33 seasons. KU improved to 2-0 in league play just three times in that span, starting 2-0 in 1997 (lost a non-conference game in between victories), 3-0 in 1995, and 4-0 in 1992.
SIX WINS — With five victories already, Kansas is looking to become “bowl-eligible” with one more win this year. KU has won at least six games in each of the last two seasons (seven in 2005 and six last year), while posting at least six wins in three of the last four years (six in 2003). If the Jayhawks were to get to six wins, it would mark the first time KU won at least six games in three straight years since 1960-62.
KU WHEN RANKED — While Kansas has made its way into the national polls for the first time since 1996, here are a few notes about KU and the rankings: This marks the 15th different season when KU has been ranked in the AP poll all-time… KU is 9-5 in its first game being ranked in a season… KU is 44-27-2 when playing as a ranked team… The Oct. 7 poll listing is the latest in the year the Jayhawks have been ranked in the poll since finishing the 1995 season listed ninth by the AP… KU is 21-12-2 in home games when ranked in the AP poll.
