Kansas Football To Host #4 Texas In Home Finale

Supplemental Notes

Press Conference Quotes

Nov. 10, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

QUICKLY — Kansas (6-4 overall, 3-3 Big 12) will host #4 AP/#5 Coaches Poll Texas (9-1, 5-1) in the home finale for the Jayhawks… The game will kickoff at 11:30 a.m. and will be televised on FSN… The game is the fifth pre-noon start for Kansas this season, which will also kickoff at 11:30 a.m. against Missouri on Nov. 29… The game marks the final home appearance for 18 Jayhawk seniors… KU will be playing its fourth game against a ranked team this season, as well as its third against a top-10 team… KU has won 14 of its last 15 home games… KU is 4-1 in its final home game in the last five years with the lone loss coming to Texas in 2004… KU is playing on network or cable television for the ninth time in 11 games this year, including its third of four games on FSN.

FINAL HOME GAME FOR 18 SENIORS — The Texas game will be the final home contest for 18 Kansas seniors, including DE Richard Alspaugh, S Tang Bacheyie, DE Russell Brorsen, WR Micah Brown, WR Raymond Brown, OC Ryan Cantrell, OT Matt Darton, WR Dexton Fields, WR Gary Green, CB Kendrick Harper, OG Chet Hartley, WR Marcus Herford, LB James Holt, DE John Larson, OG Adrian Mayes, LB Joe Mortensen, S Patrick Resby, and LB Mike Rivera.

THE LAST FOUR YEARS — In the last four years, this senior group has been a part of some special things in Kansas football history. Among the numerous highlights are:

– Combined 31-16 record with two games left.

– 31 wins are the second-most in a four-year period in KU history behind the 32-6 record from 1896-99

– Produced at least six wins in four straight seasons for the first time since 1903-06.

– Saw home attendance average records set in each of the last four years.

– Posted two undefeated home seasons (2005 and 2007).

– Recorded a 23-3 home record in their four years.

– Played in first January bowl game since 1969 with last year’s FedEx Orange Bowl victory.

– Could reach bowl game for the second straight year, the first bowl games in consecutive seasons in school history.

– Returned to the national polls in 2007, the Jayhawks’ first ranking since 1996.

– Were part of a school-record 19 straight weeks in the Associated Press poll.

LAST TIME OUT — Nebraska outscored Kansas 31-21 in the second half en route to a 45-35 victory on a cold (35 degrees with 21 mile per hour winds) Saturday. The teams were tied at 14 at halftime behind two Todd Reesing touchdown passes to Kerry Meier and Dezmon Briscoe. The Huskers started the scoring in the second half with a field goal before KU responded with another touchdown pass from Reesing, this time to Dexton Fields. That put Kansas up 21-17 with 4:32 left in the third period. Nebraska scored two straight touchdowns, both runs by Roy Helu, Jr., to pull ahead 31-21 early in the fourth quarter. Kansas fought back with a Jake Sharp touchdown with 9:55 left to come within 31-28 before the Huskers scored two straight touchdowns to lead 45-28. Reesing hit 15 of 30 attempts for 304 yards and three touchdowns to three different receivers. Briscoe caught six passes for 176 yards (nearly 30 yards per catch) and a score. Sharp rushed 22 times for 90 yards as the Jayhawks posted 422 yards of offense on the day. Nebraska ran up 495 yards, including 328 through the air as the Huskers defeated Kansas for the 20th straight time in Lincoln. Reesing became the Kansas all-time passing yardage leader on his scoring toss to Meier. On that play, he took a hit, bounced backward and then found a wide open Meier who raced into the endzone. The junior quarterback ended the game with 6,632 career passing yards to move ahead of Frank Seurer, who threw for 6,410 from 1980-83.

UP NEXT — Kansas will have its second bye week of the year before playing a neutral-site game against Missouri at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. on Saturday, Nov. 29. That game will kickoff at 11:30 a.m. and be televised on FSN. Missouri plays at Iowa State this Saturday before also having a bye week on Nov. 22. Missouri is the host of the Border Showdown game and credential requests should be made through the MU media relations office.

THE KU-UT SERIES — Kansas and Texas will be meeting for just the ninth time in history and the Longhorns hold a 6-2 advantage in the series, including a 3-2 mark in games played in Lawrence. The teams first met in Lawrence in 1901 (a 12-0 KU victory) and again in 1938 (a 19-18 KU win in Lawrence). The teams did not play again until the first year of Big 12 Conference play in 1996 and the Longhorns have won all six matchups since then.

KU-UT LAST TIME — Eventual national champion Texas ran up a 52-0 lead at halftime en route to a 66-14 victory against Kansas in Austin on Nov. 12, 2005. Texas QB Vince Young completed 19 of 27 passes for 281 yards and four touchdowns, while four Longhorns rushed for more than 50 yards each as Texas registered 617 yards while holding Kansas to just 267 yards of offense. KU QB Jason Swanson hit 17 of 35 passes for 148 yards and Clark Green ran 11 times for 69 yards for the Jayhawks. After holding Texas to consecutive three and outs to start the game, KU allowed UT to score touchdowns on six straight possessions. KU opened the game with six straight three and outs. Current Jayhawks with statistics in the game include WR Marcus Herford (four receptions for 30 yards), LB Mike Rivera (five tackles), and LB Joe Mortensen (one tackle).

KU-UT LAST TIME IN LAWRENCE — Texas scored on a 21-yard touchdown pass from Vince Young to Tony Jeffery with just 11 seconds remaining to cap a Texas comeback in which the Longhorns scored 14 points in the final 4:12 to defeat Kansas 27-23 in Lawrence on Nov. 13, 2004. Kansas led 23-13 with 7:41 left in the game after Brian Luke found Lyonel Anderson on a one-yard touchdown pass. However, Texas marched 87 yards on 13 plays, capping the drive with an 18-yard Vince Young scoring run with 4:12 left. After KU punted on the next possession, Texas went 47 yards in eight plays to get the victory. Kansas had 348 yards of total offense, but UT had 581. Luke was 14 of 25 passing for 225 yards and one touchdown. Mark Simmons caught eight of those passes for 135 yards. Three Jayhawks had at least 10 tackles, including Nick Reid (14), Charles Gordon (11) and Rodney Harris (10). No current Jayhawks played in the game.

TEXANS ON KU ROSTER – The state of Texas is the number one producer of current Kansas players with 28 Jayhawks hailing from the lone star state. The state of Kansas has produced 27 current Jayhawks, while there are 12 Oklahomans on the KU roster. KU starters from Texas include WR Dezmon Briscoe (Dallas), OC Ryan Cantrell (Sugar Land), WR Dexton Fields (Dallas), OT Jeremiah Hatch (Dallas), CB Daymond Patterson (Mesquite), QB Todd Reesing (Austin), and WR Johnathan Wilson (Houston).

KU-UT CONNECTIONS — KU WR coach David Beaty was a successful high school coach in the state of Texas at North Dallas and MacArthur High Schools before coaching at Rice. Beaty and UT RB coach Major Applewhite were on the same staff at Rice in 2006 as Beaty was the WR coach and Applewhite the offensive coordinator/QB coach… Kansas media relations graduate assistant Kellen Coleman is an Austin, Texas native and his father Lance is a Texas Ranger, who serves as a security guard for Texas head coach Mack Brown on game days… Texas does not list any players from the state of Kansas on its roster.

VS. RANKED TEAMS — Kansas is meeting its fourth ranked opponent (third top-10 opponent) this season and the Jayhawks could meet six ranked teams before the season is over with a game against Missouri on Nov. 29 and a possible bowl game. KU hasn’t played four ranked teams in the same season since 2001.

SECOND TOP 10 IN LAWRENCE THIS YEAR — Texas will be the second top-10 opponent to come to Lawrence this year (Texas Tech was eighth). Number four Texas is the highest ranked opponent to play in Lawrence since Nebraska was listed second in 2001.

Weekly Supplemental Notes will be available Thursdays at www.kuathletics.com