12A THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
GAMEDAY
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2005
Big game for KU, big streak for Big Red
KU Blitz
ALAGIANCI
Kansas vs. Nebraska Noon, Saturday, at Memorial Stadium
Kansas comes into the game after posting its first victory in four contests. The Jayhawks will need to continue their winning ways this week if they want to make a bowl game. Senior running back Clark Green is coming off his best outing of the year, racking up 125 yards last week against Missouri.
LAST TIME OUT
- Kansas topped Missouri 13-3 last week, extending its winning streak to three games over the Tigers. The Kansas defense was spectacular, holding Missouri senior quarterback Smith in check after he lit up Nebraska two weeks ago for 246 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
PLAYER TO WATCH
The Kansas offensive line. The Jayhawks will be facing one of the most aggressive defensive lines in the country. The offensive line will need to hold Nebraska linemen back to give senior quarterback Jason Swanson time to throw the football. It will also be critical to open up holes for Green and Kansas junior running back Jon Cornish.
5 QUICK FACTS
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2 Rank of the Kansas rushing defense in the conference and in the country. The unit is allowing just 69.5 yards per contest on the ground.
10 National rank for Kansas in total defense.
12 Rank of Kansas in total offense in the Big 12 Conference, good for last place.
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2 Touchdowns scored by Kansas last week, the most since its conference opener against Texas Tech.
13 The number of points Kansas has scored in each of its last two games: a 13-3 victory against Missouri and a 44-13 loss at Colorado.
LOOKING FORWARD
- This contest is critical for the Jayhawks if they are going to sneak into a bowl game. Nebraska is the first step in getting two victories to finish 6-5. If Kansas wins tomorrow, it has to win against Texas or Iowa State to clinch a bowl game
KEY TO VICTORY
Sustain the running game. Kansas was able to effectively move the chains last week through its work on the ground. If Kansas is able to rack up another 200-yard rushing game, it could be a long day for Nebraska.
Kansas
OFFENSE
The Kansas offense did enough to beat Missouri last week, scoring two touchdowns for the first time since playing Texas Tech on Oct. 1. Kansas will need to be effective again this
week when it faces Nebraska, one of the top defenses in the Big 12 Conference. Senior quarterback Jason Swanson managed last week's game well. The Kansas running game will be key again this week. Expect senior running back Clark Green to see a high number of carries after rushing 22 times for 125 yards last week. If the Jayhawks can get another 200 yards on the ground, it should be another victory for Kansas.
DEFENSE
is there anything else that can be said about this unit? The Jayhawks pulled out all the stops last weekend and limited Missouri senior quarterback Brad Smith to fewer than 200 yards of total offense. The KU defense will be tested more through the air this week when it faces Nebraska's West Coast offense. The secondary was up to the task last weekend against Missouri, but it will be a bigger challenge this week. If the secondary can stop Nebraska quarterback Zac Taylor, it might be a long day for the Nebraska receivers.
Nebraska
At some point, junior cornerback/wide receiver Charles Gordon will take a punt return to the end zone. Each
PECIALTEAMS
week it seems he's just one tackler away from breaking a long run for a touchdown. The Jayhawks had a blunder last week with a blocked extra point, but it didn't come back to haunt the Jayhawks in their 13-3 victory. Other than the missed extra point, sophomore kicker Scott Webb has been solid. He has connected on 10 of 12 field goals, and the Jayhawks may need Webb's leg this weekend if they are unable to find the end zone on offense.
COACHES
OFFENSE
Saturday's game will feature two of the best line backers in the
The Nebraska offense is led by senior running back Cory Ross. Ross has posted back-to-back 100-yard rush
DEFENSE
Jordan Congdon will handle the kicking duties for Nebraska this weekend. Congdon is 13-16 on
ing games against Kansas. This season Ross is averaging four yards per carry and has gained a total of 609 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Zac Taylor is also having a solid season for the Cornhuskers. The Nebraska game plan focuses much more on the pass than it once did, and Taylor has accumulated 1,757 yards and 11 touchdowns this season. The only statistic that coaches would like to see decrease is his nine interceptions on the season. Taylor's favorite target is Nate Swift, who, as a freshman, has caught 28 passes for 398 yards.
conference in Kansas senior linebacker Nick Reid and Nebraska sophomore Corey McKeon. McKeon has been everywhere on the field this season, amassing 68 total tackles, 15 tackles for loss and six sacks. McKeon has also scored once this season, returning an interception 38 yards for a touchdown against Wake Forest. Also joining McKeon on defense is senior safety Daniel Bullocks. Bullocks, whose brother Josh bolted for the NFL last season, has been a leader in the defensive secondary all season for the Cornhuskers. Bullocks has record one interception and has broken up a team high nine passes. Bullocks also has 55 tackles on the season. Overall, Nebraska ranks fifth in the conference in total defense and 25th in the NCAA.
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the season in field goals but struggles with the close ones. He is 7-9 on kicks from 20-29 yards out. Congdon is a perfect 2-2 on kicks from 40 or more yards out. His long on the season is 41. Handling the punting duties for Nebraska is Sam Koch. Koch is one of the better punters in the conference, averaging 45 yards a punt and boasting a long punt of 84 yards. Tierre Green and Marlon Lucky will return kicks for the Cornhuskers.
SPECIALTEAMS
NU Blitz
ATA GLANCE
The Cornhuskers' season started promising. They won their first four games including an overtime victory against Iowa State. Since then, Nebraska's only victory was at Baylor two weeks ago. Nebraska has lost to Texas Tech, Missouri and Oklahoma during its 1-3 stretch.
LAST TIME OUT
Quarterback Zac Taylor. If Taylor gets in a groove early and starts hooking up with Swift, it could be a long day for Kansas. He has thrown for more than 1,750 yards and 11 touchdowns this season.
It was a matter of bad timing last weekend against Oklahoma. The Cornhuskers faced the Sooners with the return of their star player, running back Adrian Peterson. Peterson ran for more than 100 yards and scored twice, as Oklahoma beat Nebraska for the first time in Lincoln, Neb., since 1987.
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PLAYER TO WATCH
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5 QUICK FACTS
36 The number all Kansas fans hate to hear: The number of consecutive Nebraska victories against Kansas.
18 The number of catches receiver Nate Swift has in the last two games. Before that, Swift had only caught 10 passes in six games.
47-31 Nebraska is outscoring opponents by that margin in the fourth quarter of games this season.
9-0 Nebraska's record when it leads at halftime under coach Bill Callahan.
107 Nebraska's NCAA rank in rush offense.
A victory against Kansas would make Nebraska bowl-eligible for the first time under coach Bill Callahan. If Nebraska loses, it would have to either beat Kansas State at home or win at Colorado to qualify for a bowl game. At 2-3 in conference play, Nebraska would need a minor miracle to win the Big 12 North.
LOOKING FORWARD
KEY TO VICTORY
♦ The same key as last week against Missouri. Run, Run, Run. If Nebraska can get it going on the ground with Ross, it will mean trouble for Kansas. But if the Jayhawks can make the 'Huskers air out the ball and throw all game, the 36 years of frustration could come to an end.
Around the Big 12
Missouri at Colorado
When: Saturday, 2:30 p.m.
BY DANIEL BERK
Where: Boulder, Colo.
Why: The winner of this game will have the upper hand in winning the Big 12 North division. Colorado sits at 4-1 in conference play while Missouri is 3-2. The game will feature two of the better quarterbacks in the conference in Colorado senior Joel Klatt and Missouri senior Brad Smith. Missouri leads the overall series 36-30-3 and won last year in Columbia, Mo., 17-9. With the division crown at stake, expect a sellout crowd at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colo.
Texas A&M at Texas Tech
When: 6 p.m.
Where; Lubbock, Texas
Why: Texas A&M is fourth in the Big 12 and has underperformed this season. Oklahoma, Texas Tech and Texas sit above them in the conference. Texas A&M enters the game after being blown out at home 42-14 against Iowa State. Texas Tech comes into the game after blanking Baylor 28-0 and losing to Texas the week before. This game will also feature two senior quarterbacks, like Colorado-Missouri, in Texas Tech's Cody Hodges and Texas A&M's Reggie McNeal.
Where: Waco, Texas
Texas at Baylor
When: 11:30 a.m.
Where...Wakeback to No. 2 in the BCS standings this week, Texas will try and win its second consecutive road game this week in Waco, Texas. Texas quartarback Vince Young set a school record and accumulated more than 500 yards of total offense last weekend against Oklahoma State and was named co-Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week, Baylor, led by quarterback Shawn Bell, is 1-4 in the conference and still needs two victories to become bowl eligible, but don't expect one of those to come this weekend. Texas beat Baylor last year 44-14 in Austin, Texas.
Kansas State at Iowa State
When: 1 p.m.
Where: Ames, Iowa
viny: this game is a must-win situation for both teams. After starting 0-3 in conference play, Iowa State has won its last two games and will try and even its record in the conference this weekend. Kansas State is on the verge of not making a bowl game for the second year in a row, as its record stands at 4-4 and 1-4 in the conference. The Wildcats need to win two of their final three games to qualify for a bowl game, and a loss this weekend would set them back drastically. If Iowa State wins, it will become bowl eligible at 6-3. Last year's game went to Iowa State in Manhattan, 13-7.
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