Kansas Football Moves Up In All Four Polls This Week
Oct. 21, 2007
<?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>LAWRENCE, Kan. – After improving its season record to 7-0 with a 19-14 road victory at Colorado on Saturday, the University of Kansas football team moved up in each of the four national polls this week.<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>
On Sunday, the Jayhawks found themselves ranked ninth in the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) poll, 10th in the USA Today/Coaches rankings, 11th in the Harris Interactive Poll and 12th in the Associated Press listings.
Last week KU was 13th in the BCS poll and 15th in the other three rankings. KU entered the national rankings this season on Oct. 7 when the Jayhawks were ranked 20th in the AP, Coaches and Harris polls.
Kansas is in the polls for the first time since the 1996 season and has its highest ranking since 1995 when KU was ninth in the final AP poll and 10th in the final USA Today poll.
2007 Kansas Football Accomplishment
– Defeated a ranked team (#24 KansasState) for first time since beating #25 IowaState in 2005.
– Beat a ranked team on the road (#24 KansasState) for the first time since winning at #15 Oklahoma in 1995.
– Earned a national ranking for first time since 1996 (ranked #20 on Sept. 28 that year before losing to Utah).
– Earned highest national ranking since finishing ninth in the final AP poll in 1995.
– Opened a year 7-0 for first time since starting 7-0 in 1995 and the second time in the last 39 years (1968).
– Won seven straight games for first time since 1995 (seven straight).
– Produced at least six wins in three straight years for the first time since 1960-61-62.
– Became the only remaining undefeated conference team since the 1968 Kansas team started that season 7-0 (i.e. the last time KU was the only undefeated team in the conference at any point in a season).
– Opened Big 12 play with a victory for the first time since 2003.
– Opened Big 12 play with a 3-0 record for the first time since 1995 (has not started 4-0 since 1992).
– KU became the first Big 12 North school since Nebraska in 2002 to open league play 3-0.
– Posted back-to-back road wins in the same season for the first time since 1995.
– Posted two road wins in the same season for the first time since 1996 (3-3 on the road that year).
– Expect to be in a bowl game for third time in the Mark Mangino era and no Kansas coach has taken KU to more than two bowls.
– On pace to establish school record in attendance for third straight season as KU has averaged 44,906 through five home games and the next home game against Nebraska is already soldout (last game is vs. Iowa State). KU set mark in 2005 with 43,675 and then bested that mark last year with an average of 44,137.
– Beat in-state rival KansasState three of last four years (have beaten other big rival Missouri three out of last four meetings, but have not played this year). Also defeated KSU in consecutive years for the first time since winning three straight from 1988-90.
– Snapped an eight-game losing streak at KansasState (had not won at Manhattan since 1989 before this year).
– Recorded back-to-back 50-point games for the first time in history after opening the year with a 52-7 win against Central Michigan and a 62-0 victory against Southeastern Louisiana.
– Scored 30 or more points in six straight games (first six games) for the first time in history.
– Started the year with two straight turnover-free games for the first consecutive games without a turnover since 2003.
– Scored 52 points in season opener vs. Central Michigan for most points in a season opener since 1912.
– Scored most points in a conference game in school history with 58 vs. Baylor.
– Shutout Southeastern Louisiana for first shutout since beating Southern Illinois 42-0 in 2000.
– Held consecutive opponents to less than 10 points for the first time since 1975 as KU beat Central Michigan 52-7 and Southeastern Louisiana 62-0).
– Limited opponents to just 23 combined points in four straight games (first four games) for the fewest allowed in a four-game span since 1961 (held four opponents to a combined 23 points as well).
– On pace to have five of the top 10 passing yardage seasons in school history come in the Mangino era, as KU is currently averaging a school-record pace of 276.4.0 yards per game.
– On pace to have four of the top 10 rushing defense yardage seasons in school history come in the Mangino era as KU is currently averaging a school record of 78.0 yards allowed rushing per game (three of current top five seasons have come in the Mangino era).
– Posted consecutive wins against Colorado for the first time since 1980 and 1981.
