6B • THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
HOMECOMING
FRIDAY,OCT.12,2001
National champions loom for homecoming
Kansas football team to face similar game to 1984 Oklahoma upset
By Brent Briggeman Kansan sportswriter
Even an average team can take a unique risk on homecoming.
"I think we're probably the only program in the country that scheduled the defending national champions for homecoming," said Kansas coach Terry Allen, whose 2-2 team will play host to No. 3 Oklahoma tomorrow.
Even though Allen said he had nothing to do with the scheduling,he said he welcomed the challenge.
"The better the opponent, the better the opportunity," said Allen, who is 4-0 in homecoming games at Kansas.
Longtime Kansas followers may see a parallel between this week's game and one played nearly 20 years ago.
In 1984, Oklahoma brought a No.2 ranking and unbeaten record into Lawrence for a homecoming game against a 2-5 Iavhawk team.
Kansas won the game 28-11, handing coach Barry Switzer's team its only loss of the regular season.
Oklahoma finished 1984 ranked No. 6 after losing to No. 2 Washington in the Orange Bowl. Kansas used the game as a spring board, winning three of its last four and finishing the season 5-6.
"Some of our grandest moments in the history of Kansas football have come in upsets against Oklahoma," Allen said.
Kansas also beat a ranked Oklahoma team in 1975 when the Sooners were ranked No. 12.
Homecoming has been kind to Kansas in recent years. The Hawks are 10-1 in their last 11 homecoming games — the best stretch since the tradition began in 1912.
"Some of our grandest moments in the history of Kansas football have come in upsets against Oklahoma."
Terry Allen Kansas football coach
Kansas beat Colorado 23-15 last year to notch its fourth straight homecoming win.
Allen credited festive homecoming atmospheres for the team's performances.
However, he said the atmosphere for the UCLA game was similar to that of homecoming, and the 'Hawks were soundly beaten.
"Hopefully we'll get a lot of those people back," Allen said of the 43,500 fans who witnessed the loss to the Bruins.
Few fans have seen Kansas since. Kansas' home game with Wyoming was postponed after the terrorist attacks, the Colorado and Texas Tech road games weren't televised, and the bye-week was also in the mix.
When tomorrow rolls around, it will have been 33 days between home dates, the longest in-season stretch in Kansas history. The stretch has left the players ready to get back in front of the home fans.
"It's great to finally be home," said defensive end Travis Watkins. "It's been rough playing on the road like that, especially at Texas Tech. But hopefully we'll come home and have a packed stadium."
The Athletics Department expects a crowd in the mid-40,000 range for tomorrow's game.
Kansas is 38-45-5 in homecoming games and 27-63-6 all-time against Oklahoma.
Contact Briggeman at 864-4858
CHALKING UP A WIN
Ali Cornin (left), left, Lea-
wood
sophomore, and Emma
Dissinger, Prairie Village
freshman, put the
finishing touches
on their
Jayhawk.
Wescoe Beach was the site of a chalk drawing contest yesterday.
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