THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2011
SPORTS
PAGE 9
FOOTBALL BIG12 PRESENTED BY PREVIEW WAVE
ETHAN PADWAY
epadway@kansan.com
GAME OF THE WEEK
(8) TEXAS A&M
(7) OKLAHOMA STATE
2:30 P.M. SATURDAY, SEPT. 24
Oklahoma State takes its No. 1 ranked passing offense to College Station in a game in which the winner will receive a major momentum boost and the loser will face an uphill battle to claim the Big 12 title.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Randle
Oklahoma State running back Joseph Randle:
All the talk will be on quarterback Brandon Weeden and the Cowbys' passing attack, but if Randle can keep the offense balanced, as he has through the first three weeks of the season, it could keep the A&M defense back on its heels.
PREDICTION:
34-27, OKLAHOMA STATE
In what will be a close game, the experience and talented combination of quarterback Brandon Weeden and receiver Justin Blackmon will be too much for the Aggie defense to contain, and quarterback Ryan Tannehill and the Aggies won't be able to keep up.
KANSAS STATE
2:30 P.M. SATURDAY, SEPT. 24
The Wildcats take their show on the road for the first time this season, where they will face a Hurricane team riding high after a victory over the Ohio State Buckeyes last week. This game marks Wichita native and former Hurricane Arthur Brown's first game against his former school since transferring to Kansas State following the 2009 season.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein.
Klein's passing numbers have been less than spectacular in his first two games, but he is currently the Wildcats leading rusher, carrying the ball 44 times for 217 yards and two touchdowns in the team's first two games.
PREDICTION:
31-17, MIAMI (FL)
Kansas State currently has the top-ranked scoring defense, but that probably will not continue as the Wildcats will face their first test of the year. With quarterback Jacquelyn Harris back under center for the Hurricanes, the Wildcats will have trouble waving the Hurricanes out of the endzone.
(17) BAYLOR
6 P.M. SATURDAY, SEPT. 24
The Bears will face a Rice team that has some momentum after defeating the Purdue Boilermakers 24-22 last week. Rice will face its biggest challenge of the season in defending the dual-threat Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Griffin has been fantastic in his first two games, throwing for 624 yards and eight touchdowns on his way to becoming an early Heisman Trophy contender.
PREDICTION:
49-20. BAYLOR
Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III:
Baylor's offense will continue to roll under Griffin, and Rice won't know how to stop him. Texas put up 34 points against Rice a few weeks ago with the much less talented Garret Gilbert under center. Griffin will tear the Owl defense up with his arm and his legs.
NEVADA
6 P.M. SATURDAY, SEPT. 24
Texas Tech hasn't faced the nation's most difficult schedule, but the Red Raiders offense has impressed nonetheless, scoring at least 50 points in their first two games. Nevada responded from their season opening 69-20 loss at Oregon by winning at San Jose State last week.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Doege
Texas Tech quarterback Seth Doege:
Doege has put up big numbers against mediocre defenses to open his season. He's thrown for 727 yards and eight touchdowns this season.
PREDICTION:
45-21,TEXAS TECH
Doege will continue his great year and put up huge numbers against another mediocre team from a non-BCS conference. The Red Raiders will find out more about their队 when they enter Big 12 play.
(1) OKLAHOMA
MISSOURI
Oklahoma is riding high after defeating Florida State last week, but the Sooners will be chomping at the bit to get revenge on a Missouri team that knocked them from their No. 1 ranking last season, ending the Sooners' BCS championship hopes. With the Sooners gearing up for another title run, there is nothing the Tigers want more than to spoil another Sooner season.
6 P.M. SATURDAY, SEPT. 24
PLAYER TO WATCH
Oklahoma Linebacker Travis Lewis;
Lewis
Lewis tweeted at Missouri receiver Jarrell Jackson that Jackson made himself a target after telling the Kansas City Star that Jackson didn't know what made Oklahoma tough, and that there is nothing tough about them. Lewis and the OU defense will be looking to end that chatter and prove how tough they are.
Volleyball begins conference play
MATT GALLOWAY
BIG 12
mgalloway@kansan.com
Volleyball may not have the pull that sports like football and basketball have, but make no mistake: the players on the Kansas volleyball team have as much interest in the conference realignment drama as their peers.
"I think our players are curious like everybody else is," coach Ray Bechard said, "but they know what we've got in front of us for the next couple of months, for sure."
The Jayhawks (11-1) begin conference play this Saturday at 4 p.m. against the No. 8 Texas Longhorns (7-3) in Austin, Texas. It will be the first Big 12 conference season for the Jayhawks without Colorado and powerhouse Nebraska, but Bechard said the conference at the moment is the best it has been in his 14 years at the helm in Lawrence.
"You take Colorado and Nebraska out of the equation, but from top to bottom this is the highest percentage of wins our conference has had going into conference play," Bechard said. "You look at teams like Texas Tech who people picked to finish last, and they're 12-1 right now having won 12 in a row."
Nationally-ranked Texas actually begins conference play at the bottom of the league in win percentage, but the Longhorns 7-3 record is not a fair reflection of coach Jerritt Elliott's squad. The Longhorns have already played five ranked teams,
a team that has a chance to play the last weekend in San Antonio"
The only common opponent the Jayhawks and the Longhorns have seen so far is No. 9 Minnesota, who the Jayhawks defeated in five sets on Sept. 10. The Longhorns were swept in two separate matches by Minnesota on Friday and Saturday of Sept. 2-3.
"They bit off the most competitive schedule in the country," Bechard said. "I know for his young team that was a lot. They're going to be
Sophomore libero Brianne Riley said the Minnesota game was a turning point for the Jayhawks, who look to continue to carry momentum into Austin this weekend.
"I think we know that this week we have to be sure we're working just as hard as Texas is." Riley said. "We've been playing very well this year, especially after our Minnesota game. We have a chance, and it's going to be a good game."
The Jayhawks enter the weekend with junior Tayler Tolefree playing perhaps the best volleyball of her career. Tolefree had a double-double in last Saturday's five-set win against Valparaiso, recording 17 kills and 11 blocks. Bechard said he thinks there is not a more difficult double-double in the sport than the kills and blocks combination.
"Tayler is playing excellent right now," Wehrs said. "She's putting up her blocks. I can always count on her to get a kill. If we need a point, I can go to her. She's a good leader on the court."
Sophomore setter Kara Wehrs said she can count on Tolefree to finish the job when she sends a ball her way.
PREDICTION:
38-13, OKLAHOMA
Edited by Lindsey Deiter
The Sooners have had this game circled on their calendar all year and will come out firing on all cylinders to avenge last season's loss. Missouri quarterback James Franklin will struggle against the Stouln sooner defense.
KANSAN PHOTOS
visit www.kansan.com to check out photos from KU football games.
M's and W's Leadville Jacket
Check out Homecoming activities and events!
Sunday, September 25
Stuff the Bus 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Dillons on 23rd St.
Letters From Lawrence with Love 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Dillons on 23rd St.
Jayhawk Jingles Auditions 5-9 p.m. Adams Alumni Center
Monday, September 26
Homecoming Tabling 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Wescoe Beach Monday Funday 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Wescoe Beach Punt, Pass & Kick preliminaries 4-6:30 p.m. Memorial Stadium 3 vs. 3 Basketball Tournament 5-11 p.m. Student Rec Fitness Center
www.homecoming.ku.edu Facebook: KU Homecoming Twitter: KU_Homecoming
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