University Daily Kansan
Wednesday, August 24, 1977
13
Tough,weak opponents scheduled
1977 BIG EIGHT CONFERENCE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Members of the Big Eight conference will be trying to expand the league's reputation as the toughest in the nation when play begins this fall, and one of the barometers used to measure that toughness is the conference's composite record against other leagues. The team will be hard-pressed to match their performance in the last two years.
UPPER CASE Indicates Conference Games tower case indicates non-conference games (N) = Indicates Night Games
PLAYING DATES | IOWA STATE | KANSAS STATE | OKLAHOMA ST. | COLORADO | KANSAS | MISSOURI | NEBRASKA | OKLAHOMA
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
September 10 | wichita state | at brigham young (N) | at tulsa | stanford | at texas a&m | u.s.c. | washington st. | vanderbilt
September 17 | at iowa | florida state | arkansas (N) at Little Rock | kent state | at ucla (N) | at illinois | alabama | utah
September 24 | at bowling green | at wichita state (N) | texas-et paso | new mexico | washington st. | california | baylor | at ohio state
October 1 | dayton | mississippi st. | florida state | at army | at OKLAHOMA | at anzona st. (N) | indiana | KANSAS
October 8 | MISSOURI | NEBRASKA | at COLORADO | OKLA. STATE | at miami (Fla.) (N) | at IOWA STATE | at KANSAS STATE | texas at dallas
October 15 | at NEBRASKA | at OKLA. STATE | KANSAS STATE | at KANSAS | COLORADO | OKLAHOMA | IOWA STATE | at MISSOURI
October 22 | at OKLAHOMA | at MISSOURI | at KANSAS | at NEBRASKA | OKLA. STATE | KANSAS STATE | COLORADO | IOWA STATE
 October 29 | KANSAS | OKLAHOMA | NEBRASKA | MISSOURI | at IOWA STATE | at COLORADO | OKLA. STATE | at KANSAS STATE
November 5 | COLORADO | at KANSAS | OKLAHOMA | at IOWA STATE | KANSAS STATE | NEBRASKA | at MISSOURI | at OKLA. STATE
November 12 | at KANSAS STATE | IOWA STATE | at MISSOURI | at OKLAHOMA | at NEBRASKA | OKLA. STATE | KANSAS | COLORADO
November 19 | OKLA. STATE | at COLORADO | at IOWA STATE | KANSAS STATE | MISSOURI | at KANSAS | | |
 November 25 | | | | | | | | at OKLAHOMA | NEBRASKA
THE JAYHAWKS will open the season Sept. 10 against Southwest Conference power Texas A&M, which has a solid 13-7 record and the top ten teams in the country this year.
Last season, Big Eight teams compiled a 28-7-2 record against nonconference teams, slightly worse than the previous season mark of 29-7.
While KU is playing the toughest nonconference schedule, Iowa State should be able to coast through their opening games until an Oct. 8 meeting at Missouri.
Most observers will agree that Kansas has traded Missouri for the unenviable spot of having the toughest nonconference schedule.
And Kansas' home owner Sept. 24 against Washington State won't be the breather some people might expect. The Cougars will bring an improved squad to Lawrence, featuring Jack Thompson, one of the top passing quarterbacks in the country.
IF THERE is a good time to play Oklahoma, the Jayhawks seem to have found it this year. KU's game against the Sooners will be on Oct 1, one week after the Sooner's important trip to Ohio State and the state's important war with Texas in the Cotton Bowl.
KU's other nonconference game will be under the lights of the Orange Bowl in Miami against the University of Miami on Oct. 8.
The Sooners won't forget KU's last trip to Norman, however. Two years ago, KU shocked the college football world when they stopped Oklahoma. 23-3.
THE CYCLOLONES will open against Wichita State—two weeks before the Shockers play Kansas State—and then will take the field against in-state rival Iowa in the first football game between the two schools in 43 years. Iowa State should have trouble in its last two conference warm-ups, against Bowling Green and Dayton.
After the game with Missouri, however, the Cyclones will know they have started conference play in a hurry. They must face the Kansas State on the road on consecutive Saturdays.
Here's how the other Big Eight school's nonconference schedules shape up:
KANSASSTATE
The Wildcat defense will get a stern test in K-State's opening contest with Brigham Young, which has one of the top quarterbacks in the country--Gifford Nielsen.
K-State's other nonconference games are against Florida State, Wichita State and Arkansas.
OKLAHOMA STATE
An intrastate meeting with Missouri Valley champion Tulsa and a game with Arkansas at Little Rock highlight the Cowboy's non conference schedule.
After the two road openers, OSU will stay in Florida to play Texas-E. Paso and Flores.
COLORADO
The Buffaloes will open their season with home games against Stanford, Kent State and New Mexico. Kent State is picked to finish near the top of the Mid-American conference, but none of the three should give Colorado much trouble.
MISSOURI
CU closes their nonconference slate with a trip to West Point.
Missouri always seems to rise up and unexpectedly win an important nonconference game. They will have plenty of opportunities again this year, playing probably the second-toughest schedule in the conference.
The University of Southern California, with last year's embarrassing 46-35 defeat at the hands of the Tigers in the back of their minds, will invade Columbia Sept. 10.
Revenge will be on the minds of the Tigers when they play Illinois Sept. 17. The Illini ambushed MU in Columbia 31-6 last year, the Tigers' only non-conference defeat.
MU also plays California and Arizona State.
NEBRASKA
Although Nebraska is playing a somewhat harder schedule than Iowa State, the Cornhuskers may have an advantage in the race for the easiest schedule. All four of
their non-league games—and out of their first seven games—are at home.
The feature game on the NU slate is a Sept. 17 match with Alabama, a game Nebraska fans have been waiting for or since they started to play. The team's inability to play Nebraska fans in the 1974 Sugar Bowl.
The last time the two teams met was in
the 1972 Orange Bowl, when Nebraska
played at UCLA.
Other nonconference games for the Corkhoppers are against Washington State, Utah and Oklahoma.
OKLAHOMA
Coach Barry Switzer can use his club's first two games as warm-ups for the match with Ohio State. The Sooners play host to Vanderbilt and Utah before going to Ohio
After the conference opener in Norman against KU, Oklahoma will face Texas. Both schools surely will remember last season's 6-16 tie, preceded by charges that the schools were spying on each other's practice sessions.
Top recruits flock to Big Eight again
When people call the Big Eight conference the toughest in the nation, they indirectly are praising what helps keep the conference strong—good recruitment.
The Big Eight's recruiting was as good as ever this past year. Virtually every team in the conference can boast of some star recruits.
KU's freshman crop, for example, includes four of the top prospects who played in Kansas last year.
Bigh 6-6, 200-pound center John Odell from Wellington reportedly had offers from 72 different schools but chose Kane High top KU recruits from Kansas high schools are David Lawrence, Parsons; and Steve Smith, Emporia.
The other big Eight recruiters also signed a strong group of freshmen from both in- and out-of-state. Iowa State guard Kyle Funk, who leads the Neal of Des Moines who stands 64 and weighs 240 pounds, Neal, besides being a football player, was the state heavyweight wrestling champion and had best shot put throw in the state last year.
ALSO ATTENDING Iowa State will be 5-7, 100-68 Keno Leane. He rushed for more than 1,200 yards playing high school football in St. Louis. He also returns punts and may play slotting and may be BU kanglettes with Iowa State on Oct. 29.
Oklahoma has freshman running back David Overtreet from Texas who scored 102 touchdowns in his four years of high school.
Oklahoma State has freshman Worley Taylor of Houston, Tex., Taylor, who the Cowboys will eventually become another Terry Miller, ran for 1,046 yards as a high school senior and scored 14 TDs.
NEBRASKA 1977 freshman quarterback, Steve Michaelson of Ralston, Neb. stands 6- and weighs 196 pounds. Nebraska coaches also are excited the potential of turtle Pete Boll, 6-26, pounds from Chattanooga, Tenn.
The Missouri Tigers boast of having their best recruit season in five years. Four freshmen quartetsbuckets have been a major strength to Missouri's expertise at that position.
Kansas State also had a good recruiting year. K-State signed two players who were highly sought after by Texas and Boston. They also joined offensive lineman Gerald Franklin.
COLORADO, IN recent years noted for huge linemen, recruited more of the
same: Brant Thurston, 6-5, 250-pounds and David Davis. 6-4, 235-pounds.
Successful out-of-state recruiting in the past has enabled all the Big Eight schools to obtain several prize prizes, making big contributions to their teams.
Oklahoma State recruited Terry Miller from Colorado Springs, Colo., four years ago, and Miller since has starred for the Cowboys, gaining more than 1,000 yards in each of the past two seasons.
KANAS RECRUTTED starting defensive tackle Franklin King from Pocatello, Idaho, and backfill Norris Banks from Houston, Tex. Banks need only 493 yards to become the fifth leading rusher in KU history. Quarterback Mark Vicentee and Brian Banks held the Hearts, Horns, N.J. and C.V. Calif., respectively.
Iowa State boasts of last season's 1,000 yard gainer, Dexter Green, who is from Woodbridge, Va.
Colorado recruited 6-3, 260-pound Ruben Vaughan from Los Angeles. Vaughan, according to many experts, has a good chance of winning the Outland Trophy, awarded to the nation's starliner, before his career ends in 1978.
KANSA STATE discovered a player who is called the Wildesta "mighty" receiver for Los Angeles Henkison is from Los Angeles Valley Junior College. He helped help K-State's offense moving at the end of last season, and he finished third in conference.
Oklahoma, always strong in recruiting, steals many recruits from neighboring states and pulls fullback Kenny King, who gained 790 yards for the Sooners last season. Also from Texas are free safety Zac Henderson and linebacker Daryl Hunt, who led Oklahoma to a victory.
MISSURGIRL 'PAST out-of-state recruits include Joe Stewart of Evanston, Ill., who led the Tigers in pass receptions last year with 45.
Nebraksa recruited I-Back Rick Berns from Wichita Falls, Tex., and he gained 972 yards for the Cornhoppers last year. He also played in Speaht is from Mahnemen, Mimm.
KU's two out-of-state quarterbacks, Vicencedie and Bethe, reasoned that Big Eight recruiting may be as succinct as the measure of the league's tote notch reputation.
"I don't think you can find a tougher league; every game is like a bowl game," Bettke said.
KANSAS FOOTBALL '77 Coming at You
Student Season Ticket Sales Begin August 30
Another exciting year of Kansas football is upon us. Make plans now to be a part of the color, pagentry and fun that awaits you in Memorial Stadium this fall.
Five home games beginning with Washington State Sept. 24 and including rivals Kansas State and Missouri are a part of your student season ticket. Ticket sales begin Tuesday, Aug. 30, and run until Friday prior to the home opener.
*Student Season Ticket — $20
**Student Spouse Season Ticket — $20
Aug. 30 (Tue) — Seniors. Sept. 1 (Thu) — Sophomores.
Aug. 31 (Wed) — Graduate Students Sept. 2 (Fri) — Freshmen and Juniors.
Ticket sales will be conducted in the East Lobby of Allen Field House from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. according to the following schedule:
Student seating is assigned on a seniority basis. During the week of Aug. 30 to Sept. 2 students may purchase tickets only on the day their respective class is scheduled. The University's system for class assignments will be followed as described above. A student may always purchase tickets, however, after his respective class day if he wishes. Tickets will remain on sale until the first home game Sept. 24.
Five Exciting Home Games
Sept. 24 — Washington State.
Oct. 15 — Colorado.
Oct. 22 — Oklahoma State.
Nov. 5 — Kansas State.
Nov. 19 — Missouri.
Purchasing Procedures:
1. Come to Allen Field House (East Lobby).
2. Bring validated I.D.
3. Present I. D. at classification table.
4. Receive class card.
5. Present class card at ticket sales table.
6. Pay for ticket.
7. Receive ticket and sign name.
Group Seating Procedures:
1. Bring all validated I. D. 's.
2. Follow procedures above (special table will process group orders).
3. Seat assignments for groups are made according to the lowest class ranking of any member of the group. If a student chooses to sit with someone not in his class he must come not earlier than the day assigned for the lower class ranking.
*Restricted to full-time students (minimum of six hours).*
***Must show proof of marriage.***