🍊 2008 Orange Bowl: Game Preview

LAWRENCE, Kan. – For the first time in school history,  Kansas football was selected to participate in the Bowl Championship Series (BCS). The Jayhawks (11-1, 7-1 Big 12) faced Virginia Tech (11-2, 7-1 ACC) in the FedEx Orange Bowl on Jan. 3, 2008 in Miami Gardens, Florida. The game, which was played at Dolphin Stadium, will be re-televised on FOX4 Kansas City and Fox43 Topeka on Saturday, April 18 at 2 p.m.

KANSAS JAYHAWKS | ORANGE BOWL

• Kansas competed in the 2008 FedEx Orange Bowl for the third time in program history Jan. 3, 2008 and only the third time the Jayhawks played a bowl game in January.
• KU’s first Orange Bowl appearance was in 1948 against Georgia Tech (L, 20-14) and its second in 1969 against Penn State  (L, 15-14).

OPPONENT PREVIEW: VIRGINIA TECH

• Virginia Tech was the 2007 ACC champion after defeating Boston College 30-16 in the conference championship game. The Hokies made their 15th-consecutive bowl appearance.
• The Hokies were led by senior quarterback Sean Glennon (1462 yards passing, eight TDs, two INTs) and sophomore quarterback Tyrod Taylor (888 yards, five TDs, two INTs). On the ground, Tech was led by senior Brandon Ore (821 yards, eight TDs) and Taylor (512 yards, six TDs). The Hokies’ receiving leaders were Justin Harper (35 catches, 549, four TDs), Josh Morgan (35 catches, 467 yards, four TDs) and Eddie Royal (28 catches, 422 yards, three TDs).

KANSAS OFFENSE

• Kansas is led on offense by sophomore quarterback Todd Reesing (32 TDs, six INTs), who amassed 3,259 yards through the air. Senior fullback Brandon McAnderson (1,050 yards, 16 TDs) and sophomore Jake Sharp (788 yards, seven TDs) combined for over 1,800 yards rushing. KU’s receiving leaders included junior Dexton Fields (56 catches, 733 yards, six TDs) and senior Marcus Henry (52 catches, 994 yards, 9 TDs).

KANSAS DEFENSE

• Defensively, KU’s three starting linebackers were the team’s leading tacklers as Joe Mortensen made 98 stops, James Holt 91 and Mike Rivera 84. Cornerback Aqib Talib had four interceptions and 13 passes broken up.

BIG 12 SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR

• The Kansas return game featured Marcus Herford, who was named the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year after averaging 30.0 yards per kickoff return during the 2007 season. He also returned two kickoffs for touchdowns.

ON PLAYING IN THE ONLY BCS GAME ON THURSDAY NIGHT AND THE ADDED NATIONAL ATTENTION … 
• It’s a big game. Our kids are smart. We’re not going to try to fool them and just tell them that this is just another game. But it’s still football. The field is a hundred yards, they have 11, we have 11. It’s the same concept, just a few more people will be paying attention to it.

ON WHETHER A HIGH SCORING GAME WOULD BE TO KANSAS ADVANTAGE …
• I just want to see us have more points on the scoreboard at the end of the day. I’ll settle for that.

ON HOW THE PLAYERS HAVE HANDLED THE DISTRACTIONS IN MIAMI …
• They seem focused. In meetings, everything is good. The kids are focused in and the practice field has been good. There’s been no difference. The tempo is the same, just like when we’re at home. I don’t see any changes. I want them to have fun, but they also know when it’s time to work and I think they’ve managed that well.

ON BEING READY TO PLAY THE GAME …
• It’s been great being down here getting a little vacation time, hang out, and get to see Miami, but right now we’re focused on the game and it couldn’t come soon enough.

ON WHETHER PREPARATION FOR THE GAME IN COMPLETE …
• Yeah. We’ve seen every game of them two or three times, every cut up, so no stone has been left unturned. At this point we have everything covered.