THE UNIVERSITY HALY KANSAN
MONDAY, OCTOBER 29. 2007
KU 19-A&M 11
7B
KANSAM game.
FOOTBALL (CONTINUED FROM 6B)
Dezmin Briscoe, freshman wide receiver, turns up field after making a reception during Saturday night's game against Texas A&M. Briscoe led Kays youth recruits for 40 yards.
The senior constantly penetrated into the Aggie backfield.
Jon Goering/KANSAN
Ion Gnerina/KANSAH
Brandon McAnderson, sophomore running back, celebrates with his teammates during the game. McAnderson scored both of Kansas' touchdowns and averaged 8.7 yards per carry. Kansas moved to 8-0 with the win and moved up to 8, in 8 on the AP top 25 rankings.
The matchup between Texas A&M guard Kirk Elder, an All-Big 12 Conference performer, and McClinton looked like it would be a battle on paper. But McClinton turned it into a disparity.
McClinton made the game's biggest play in the second quarter when he met 268-pound Jorvorskie Lane in the Aggie backfield and planted him on fourth-and-one from the nineyard line.
"He's the quickest defensive lineman I've ever played in my four years here," Elder said.
Texas A&M defensive coordinator Gary Darnell said that he knew the Kansas defense was good from watching film but that he had no idea it was this good.
"I just want to make it a point to say what a great job they did and how well their team played." Darnell said. "They played better than I thought they could play, and that's Coach Mangino and certainly Bill Young, their defensive coordinator."
But not all the Aggies used their words to compliment the Jayhawks. Defensive lineman Michael Bennett was asked whether he was impressed by Kansas, specifically running back Brandon McAnderson, and offered a surprising response.
—Edited by Chris Beattie
"No," Bennett said. "I promise you when we meet them in the Big 12 Championship, we're going to win the game."
Jon Goering/KANSAN
Marcus Herford fields a kickoff in the endzone. Texas & A&M kicked the ball deep enough each time that Kansas did not record a kickoff on the night.
View from press row
It was over when... The game clock hit 00:00. Texas A&M fed off of a noisy Kyle Field crowd to get within striking distance late in the fourth quarter. The Aggies moved the ball 28 yards on their final drive but could not complete a deep pass toward the end zone as time expired.
Game to forget... Texas A&M center Cody Wallace. Not only was the first team All-Big 12 selection responsible for Kansas senior defensive tackle James McClinton, but he also suffered a first-half injury that held him out of action for a few plays. McClinton made mincemeat of Wallace and a respectable offensive line Saturday, making two tackles-for-loss and pestering quarterback Stephen McGee constantly.
Game to remember... Brandon McAnderson. The senior running back entered the game overshadowed by talk of another bruising running back: Texas A&M's Jorvorskie Lane. But McAnderson proved he was a capable ball-carrier on the field. The Lawrence native rumbled for a career-high 183 yards on 21 carries, including a 40-yard run in the fourth quarter.
Jon Goerina/KANSAN
Todd Reeing, sophomore quarterback, passes a pass during Saturday night's game against text A. MEE. Re eing scored 22 of 21 passes for 180 yards, no interceptions and no touchdowns in the game.
Stat of the game... 45. The Aggies attempted a season-high 45 passes Saturday night because the Jayhawks took a double-digit lead and left little room for their opponents' run game to breathe. Entering the game, Texas A&M ranked fifth in the nation in rushing yards per game with 260. Against Kansas, the A&M ground game gained just 74 yards.
Asher Fusco
Football notes
SETTING RECORDS
The Jayhawks have made a habit of setting new school records each week. Last Saturday's victory lifted Kansas to 8-0, the program's best start since 1909. In fact, Kansas has only won eight or more games in 12 seasons in its history. The team is now 4-0 in conference play for the
first time since 1992 and has won three conference road games for the first time since the 1995 season. In the 11-year history of the Big 12 Conference.
Kansas had never defeated two Big 12 South opponents: this year the team posted wins against Baylor and Texas A&M. Some Jayhawks moved up the individual record books as well. Sophomore quarterback Todd Reesing passed his way to ninth on the single-season passing yards list with 1,985 and senior running back Brandon McAnderson set a team season-high and personal career-high with 183 rushing yards.
Reesina
Junior cornerback Kendrick Harper finally found some substantial playing time and capitalized in a big way. Harper, who missed the first four games of the season with an arm injury, earned his first career start and recorded a career-high seven tackles, including two tackles-for-loss. One of the hits Harper made behind the line of scrimmage was impressive enough to warrant multiple replies on ESPN2. The junior college transfer also flourished in pass coverage. Even with Texas A&M quarterback Stephen McGee's staying away from Kansas' All-Big 12 cornerback Aqib Talb, Harper held
HARPER'S BIG DAY
Harper
Texas A&M wide receiver Pierre Brown receptionless. After the game Mangino said Harper played well but had not replaced freshman cornerback Chris Harris
1
as the team's No. 2 option at cornerback. Harris played less on Saturday than he had in any game so far this season, and he made no tackles.
SPECIAL TEAMS
For the first time in 2007, the strength of Kansas' special teams was the punting game. Senior punter Kyle Tucker booted three punts and averaged 43.3 yards per punt. Tucker's most impressive punt sailed 49 yards and was expertly covered by Kansas junior wide receiver Micah Brown, who brought the return down for
a one-yard loss. The Kansas kicking game struggled mightily, as senior kicker Scott Webb missed three field goals. Texas A&M defensive end Chris Harrington
Tucker
blocked Webb's first attempt, a 27-yarder that would have put Kansas on top 3-0. Later in the second quarter, Webb barely misfired $ _ { 4 } $ sending a
31-yard attempt bouncing off of the left upright. In the fourth quarter, Webb pulled a field goal just wide of the right pylon. The 33-yard kick would have given Kansas a 22-3 advantage with 3:57 remaining in the game. Webb did make two field goals to bring his season total to 13-of-17.
MILITARY APPRECIATION DAY
Texas A&M celebrated its rich armed forces tradition on Military Appreciation Day by welcoming former president and Aggie alum George H.W. Bush and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates to Kyle Field for a halftime ceremony that included an elaborate performance by the Fighting Aggie marching band. Before kickoff, Texas A&M linebacker Mark Dodge received the Pat Tillman Patriot Award for his time in the military before becoming an Aggie. The announced attendance of 85,341 was the largest crowd Kansas had played in front of since 1979 when the team visited Michigan. Despite Texas A&M's early-game ineptitude, the crowd stuck around and stayed loud until the end of the game. The crowd was at full throat for the duration of the contest and lived up to its reputation by literally swaying the press box during the pregame Aggie War Chant.
A&M OFFENSE STRUGGLES
Texas A&M's rushing offense never had a chance to get rolling because of Kansas' 13-point third quarter. Saturday marked the seventh time in eight games the Jayhaws jumped out to a lead and the sixth time Kansas has held its opponent
scoreless in the first half. Texas A&M quarterback Stephen McGee enjoyed one of his most productive passing games of the season, with 244 yards and a touchdown. But McGee's exploits proved too little, too late as the Aggies could only put one touchdown on the scoreboard before time ran out.
Representatives from the Independence and Texas bowls watched Saturday's game from the press box. In the past, bowl officials from lower-tier events such as the Independence or Texas bowls might have been in attendance to scout the jayhawks. But this time, the representatives were checking in on the underperforming Aggies. At 8-0 and first place in the Big 12, the jayhawks' sights are set a bit higher — Kansas could be headed for the Holiday Bowl, Cotton Bowl or a BCS bowl come the holiday season. Texas A&M, which is 6-3 and take a difficult schedule, could finish 6-6 and miss the postseason completely.
IS IT BASKETBALL SEASON YET?
The Aggies, who traditionally field a strong football team, could catch themselves looking forward to basketball season. The Texas A&M basketball squad, which earned third place in the Big 12 preseason poll, was the center of attention in between the first and second quarter when the stadium video screen displayed a flashy montage dedicated to Aggie basketball coach Mark Turgeon.
Asher Fusco
Each week, Sports Editor Travis Robinett, football writer Asher Fusco and Big 12 football writer Case Keefer vote on the Big 12 power rankings.
12 POWER RANKINGS
1. Kansas
2. Oklahoma
3. Missouri
4. Oklahoma State
5. Kansas State
6. Texas
7. Colorado
8. Texas Tech
9. Texas A&M
10. Nebraska
11. Iowa State
12. Baylor