Kansas Football To Face No. 12 Missouri In Border Showdown

Press Conference Quotes

Nov. 23, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

QUICKLY — Kansas (6-5 overall, 3-4 Big 12) will meet No. 12 Missouri (9-2, 5-2) at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. in the regular season finale for both teams on Saturday, Nov. 29 at 11:30 a.m… The teams will be meeting for the 117th time, the nation’s second-most played rivalry behind only Minnesota and Wisconsin, which have meet 118 times… The game will be televised nationally on FSN… The early kickoff time marks the sixth pre-noon start for Kansas this season… KU is 3-3 in its final regular season game of the year in the Mark Mangino era.

THINGS TO LOOK FOR AGAINST MISSOURI — Here are things to look for Saturday:

– QB Todd Reesing has thrown at least one touchdown pass in 16 consecutive games.

– Reesing (409) needs 38 pass attempts to break his school season record of 446 set last year.

– Reesing (265) needs 12 pass completions to break his school season record of 276 set last year.

– Reesing (3,200) needs 287 passing yards to break his school season record of 3,486 set last year.

– Reesing (nine) needs one 200-yard passing game to tie his school record of 10 set last year.

– Reesing (3,369) needs 315 yards of total offense to break his school season record of 3,683 set last year.

– WR Dexton Fields (121) needs two receptions to move ahead of Clark Green (122) for fourth on the KU career receptions list (Brandon Rideau is third at 131).

– WR Dezmon Briscoe (112) needs six receptions to move past Richard Estell (117) for sixth on the KU career receptions list.

– Briscoe (1,587) needs 50 yards to pass Brandon Rideau (1,636) for sixth on the KU career receiving yardage list.

– Briscoe (1,091) needs 54 yards to pass Bob Johnson (1,144) for the school season receiving yardage record.

– Briscoe (5) needs one 100-yard receiving game for sole possession of the KU record for most 100-yard receiving games in a season (he is currently tied with two others).

– WR Kerry Meier (100) needs six receptions to move past Emmett Edwards (105) for 10th on the KU career receptions list.

– LB James Holt has recorded at least one sack in four straight games.

– LB Joe Mortensen should be making his team best 37th consecutive start and 37th overall start.

– KU will be looking to stop a two-game losing streak.

– KU will be looking to stop a two-game losing streak to Missouri after the Jayhawks had won three straight from 2003-05.

– KU will be looking to post a seven-win season, giving the Jayhawks at least seven wins in consecutive years for the first time since 1960-61.

DID YOU KNOW? — Kansas is looking to reach a bowl game for the second consecutive season. KU, which played in the FedEx Orange Bowl last season, has never played in bowl games in consecutive years. KU has played in bowl games in three of the last five seasons before this year. The Jayhawks have won at least six games to be bowl eligible for the fourth straight year.

DID YOU KNOW? — Six different Jayhawks recorded double-digit tackle totals against Missouri last year, including S Justin Thornton (16), LB Mike Rivera (14), LB Joe Mortensen (13), LB James Holt (13), CB Chris Harris (12) and S Darrell Stuckey (12).

THE KU-MU SERIES — The nation’s second most played rivalry will continue with the 117th meeting on Saturday. Minnesota and Wisconsin have met 118 times including this year. Kansas holds a narrow 54-53-9 advantage in the series, which dates back to 1891. The teams have met every year beginning with the 1891 matchup with the exception of 1918, when Kansas had its season shortened due to a campus-wide influenza outbreak. Kansas leads the series by a 12-7-3 count in games played in Kansas City, but Missouri won last year’s meeting at Arrowhead. Missouri has won the last two games after KU won three straight from 2003-05.

KU-MU LAST TIME — Despite 349 yards passing and three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing) from Todd Reesing, No. 2 Kansas could not defeat No. 3 Missouri as the Tigers posted a 36-28 victory in the annual Border Showdown game played at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City on Nov. 24. The game took center stage in the nation as the ESPN Game Day Crew was on hand and the game was televised in prime time on ABC that night. Trailing 28-7 heading into the fourth quarter, Reesing led the Jayhawks on three consecutive scoring drives to cut the lead to 34-28 with 2:05 remaining. However, KU could not recover an onside kick and Missouri ran the clock down to 17 seconds. Missouri’s Loren Williams killed any hope for a Jayhawk comeback when he sacked Reesing in the end zone on KU’s first offensive play following a punt which pinned the Jayhawks inside the 10. The loss ended KU’s 11-game winning streak, the longest in school history. Dexton Fields caught eight passes for 116 yards and a touchdown, while Dezmon Briscoe had seven receptions for 94 yards. Six different Jayhawks had double-figure tackle totals, paced by Justin Thornton, who had 16. MU ran 93 plays for 519 yards while holding the ball for 37:25. KU had 391 yards on 71 plays with 22:35 of possession.

NATION’S OLDEST RIVALRIES — Entering the 2008 season here is a look at the nation’s most played rivalries:

1. 117, Minnesota vs. Wisconsin

2. 116, KANSAS vs. Missouri

3. 114, KANSAS vs. Nebraska

3. 114, Texas vs. Texas A&M