SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
7A
Jayhawks edge Wildcats with dominating defense
BY RYAN COLAUNI AND JONATHAN KEALING
sports@kansan.com
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The Kansas football team embark on its first road game of the season tomorrow, looking to improve on dismal road records during the past few seasons.
Kansas come into tomorrow's game with a 2-0 record, and faces a Northwestern team that is 0-2. Unfortunately for Kansas, there is more to that story
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than Northwestern's poor record reflects.
Both of the Wildcats' losses have come down to a few key plays. In fact, in each game Northwestern has played, it has put up more total yardage than its opponents.
Kansas, on the other hand, has recorded lopsided victories against two teams that have under-performed this season. Week one's dormant offense rumbled to life in week two and gave the team 63 points and more than 500 total yards.
more than the key for the Jayhawks this season has been defense. The defense has improved from last year, giving up an average of just 8.5 points per game this season.
With more good defense and a solid offense, Kansas should improve to 3-0 and gain national recognition.
Edge: Kansas Quarterback
Kansas coach Mark Mangino said the team had faced outstanding quarterbacks the last two games. This week Kansas faces another.
Wildcats junior quarterback
Big 10 Conference records for passing yards, yards in a half and touchdowns in a half.
Kansas sophomore quarterback Adam Barmann had an explosive game last week. He contributed 310 yards passing, mustered 24 or 31 passes.
Brett Basanez has start ed in 24 of the 25 games he has played during the past three seasons.
completing 24 or 31 passes.
If Barmann can put up similar numbers, he will finally have proven himself. Until then, the edge goes to the proven record-breaker.
Edge: Northwestern Running Back
Kansas sophomore running back John Randle posted 104 yards rushing on 19 carries and 79 yards receiving on three catches against Toledo. He contributed
This season Basanez has already broken the school and
two touchdowns rushing as well as one on a reception.
Northwestern senior Noah Herron has recorded five 100-yard rushing games, including last week's game against Arizona State. Herron is 10th in the Big Ten for rushing with an average of 119.5 yards per game.
it's difficult to find a true edge between these two running backs. Both are capable of Javying big games.
Edge: Push
In last week's game,
Offensive Line
Vaughn was last season's Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year
In last week's games, the Kansas offensive line stepped up and allowed no sacks, giving Barmann plenty of time to pass.
The line could receive a boost this weekend if senior right guard Tony Coker returns from an injury. Sophomore David Ochoa replaced Coker after Coker broke his ankle in August. Ochoa has been a solid replacement, but with the line can be even
Northwestern has an experienced line, as does Kansas. This battle will be another close one with neither team having a clear advantage.
Coker, the line can be even better.
Northwestern's line is fairly experienced. Senior right guard Matt Ulrich is making his 28th consecutive start, but Zach Strief is probably the most talented lineman. He will have his 19th consecutive start against Kansas. Strief was a preseason candidate for All-Big Ten and All-American honors.
Senior center Joe Vaughn is the anchor of the Jayhawks' offensive line. A candidate for several postseason awards,
Mangino named four starters at the linebacker position and has rotated which three are in for the first defensive series.
Edge: Push Linebackers
So far, his plan has worked. Junior Nick Reid and junior Kevin Kane both have interceptions. Reid, Kane and juniors Gabe Toomey and Banks Floodman have also helped to consistently stop the rush and force fumbles.
Northwestern has two inexperienced linebackers to complement junior Tim McGarigle, a candidate for All-Big Ten honors. Against Arizona State he had 12 tackles and broke up a pass.
Kansas has four linebackers that can start. Northwestern's linebackers just don't match up.
Edge: Kansas Defensive Line
Kansas' defensive line has been a nice surprise. The front four have stopped the rush and put a lot of pressure on quarterbacks.
backs.
Junior college transfer Jermail Ashley stepped into the hole created when senior John McCoy's army reserve unit was activated.
Junior reserve defensive end Charlton Keith has also excelled. Keith returned a fumble to the end zone in last week's 63-14 victory.
Northwestern's defensive line is rather inexperienced and doesn't have its standout player. Junior defensive end Loren Howard injured his tendon five days before the season started. The line has not pressured the opposing quarterbacks nor stopped the run.
Edge: Kansas Wide Receivers
Wide Receivers
Adam Barmann was more accurate against Toledo last week than he was against Tulsa. Barmann's play led to improved production from the Kansas wide receivers. Against Toledo, junior Mark Simmons had six catches for 81 yards with a touchdown.
Senior Brandon Rideau, who struggled catching the football against Tulsa, caught six balls for 53 yards and a touchdown against Toledo.
The Wildcats are led by Mark Philmore and Jonathan Fields. Both Philmore and Fields are averaging more than 100 yards receiving per game, and Fields has three touchdowns on the year. Northwestern's wide receivers have succeeded this far this season because of Basanez's superb play. With Basanez the Northwestern wide outs are going to be tough to beat.
Edge: Northwestern Secondary
Tony Stubbs leads the Kansas secondary. The senior is leading the Big 12 in tackles with 10.5 a game. Through Stubbs improved play, the entire defensive unit is one of the best in the country, allowing just over 161 yards passing per game.
Junior cornerback Theo Baimes has made an immediate impact after transferring from junior college, and sophomore Charles Gordon has been solid.
The Northwestern secondary has struggled, giving up 330 yards passing per game. If the unit does not improve, look for Barmann to have a big day pass-
Edge: Kansas Special Teams
Kansas has the top kick returner in the Big 12 in junior Greg Heaggans. Heaggans is averaging more than 33 yards per return. It is unknown if Heaggans will play tomorrow because of a drunken driving arrest early Thursday morning. Mangino said he would handle the matter internally.
It appears the Jayhawks solved their kicking problem last week as freshman Scott Webb replaced senior Johnny Beck for extra points and went a school record 9-9.
Northwestern's kicker, Brian Huffman, is 1-6 on field goals for the year and may have cost them the game against Texas Christian earlier in the season. Huffman missed five field goals in that game including two in overtime, one of which would have given the Wildcats the victory.
Because of Northwestern's inefficiency at the kicking spot, the advantage goes to Kansas.
Edge: Kansas Coaches
It is clear that Kansas coach Mark Mangino has his team believing it can win. Mangino has turned around both the team and a defense that was ranked near the bottom of Division I-A football last season.
If the defense continues its stellar play, Kansas will make its first back-to-back bowl game appearance in school history. Northwestern coach Randy Walker also has turned his respective program around, taking the Wildcats to two bowls since 2000. After last week's loss to Arizona State, Walker challenged his team's desire. But with Mangino's defensive revitalization, the edge goes to Kansas.
Edge: Kansas
Edited by Anna Clovis
Bulldogs, Buckeyes Kealing's choices for upset losers this week
KICK THE KANSAN
I finally feel like I've done everything right. The picks came out on time. My columns ran on time. I even got to choose my own games. If we run with this logic, I am going to pick the winning games, too.
ming gat Every Wednesday night when I sit down to write this, I agonize over which upsets I should pick This week, I've selected North Carolina State and its fairly potent offense to beat the defense-minded Buckees.
JONATHAN KEALING jkealing@kansan.com
Now it's time to present week three of Kick the Kansan. Good luck to anyone who is new to the contest, as well as those who have been coming after me every week.
My only other true upset will be the always dangerous Marshall Thundering Herd over the Georgia Bulldogs. I had a science teacher in middle school who would sing Georgia's fight song every Friday during football season. I just can't bring myself to pick the Bulldogs to win.
Kansas at Northwestern
I have said I am going to ride Kansas all the way to Nebraska. Northwestern is 0-2, Kansas 2-0. If only it was so simple
Northwestern lost close games to two opponents who are receiving votes in national polls. Kansas won convincingly last week and has been a defensive powerhouse. Lawrence has the N o. 11 total defense right now, so I have to stay with the lavhawks.
Pick: Kansas
Pick: Kansas
Ohio State at North Carolina State
North Carolina State, led by senior quarterback Philip Rivers, pummeled the Kansas in last year's Tangerine Bowl. Rivers is now with the San Diego Chargers, but the offense looks like it still knows how to win after a 42-0 pounding of D-1AA Richmond. Ohio State snuck past Marshall last week with a late field goal. The week before, Ohio State beat Cincinnati 27-6.
This pick is a long shot, but I have been dying to see the Buckeyes lose.
Pick: North Carolina State Nebraska at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh is a team with more question marks then most exams have. Heisman Trophy runner-up Larry Fitzgerald and seven offensive starters are gone. Pittsburgh has to rebuild, and Nebraska should have enough rage from last week's loss to Southern Mississippi to prope the team to victory.
Pick: Nebraska Notre Dame at Michigan State
Michigan State is 1-1, as is Notre Dame, however Michigan State lost to Rutgers and defeated Central Michigan, while Notre Dame defeated Michigan and lost to Brigham Young. Michigan State should play a close game, but Notre Dame will win in the end.
West Virginia is one of the trendier picks to play in the Bowl Championship Series championship this season. Maryland flounders in the middle of the Atlantic Coast
Pick: Notre Dame Maryland at West Virginia
Conference every year. They barely snuck past Northern Illinois before defeating Temple. Maryland will probably play West Virginia close but will not win.
Pick: West Virginia Iowa at Arizona State
Arizona State is fresh off a victory over Northwestern. Iowa snuck past Iowa State 17-10. Arizona State showed great improvement when it defeated Northwestern in an endurance match ending with a score of 30-21. Arizona State will be better than the team's record indicated last season, but I don't see Arizona beating Iowa.
Pick: Iowa
Duke at Virginia Tech
Duke needs to stick with basketball. No matter how much of an off-year Virginia Tech has, Duke will not win in football.
Pick: Virginia Tech Louisiana State at Auburn
Pick: Virginia Tech
National co-champion Louisiana State beat Oregon State by just one point and hasn't showed the dominance the team had in last year's run to a split championship. Auburn has played like a champion all season long. Auburn is going to ride its home advantage to victory over Louisiana State
Marshall has destroyed the national title dreams of many teams during the last few years. Georgia returns most of a team that went 11-3 last season. If Georgia wants to go to the FedEx Orange Bowl, the team has to make it past Marshall.
Pick: Auburn
Pick: Marshall
Pick: Marshall Northern Illinois at Iowa State
Iowa State played Iowa close last week. However, Iowa State hasn't found enough consistency to win in this week's game. Northern Illinois is another mid-major team that makes a habit of upsetting bigger, badder teams from better conferences. The Cyclones have been to bowls recently, but after a sudden downturn last season, the program hasn't been the same. Northern Illinois will win a close one.
Pick: Northern Illinois Oregon at Oklahoma
Marshall at Georgia
Oklahoma: the Big 12's best shot at a national championship this season. Oklahoma returns
Last week, Missouri showed that Brad Smith, junior quarterback, is vulnerable. Ball State is a lower-level Mid-American Conference team. As long a Missouri learned something from last week's mistakes, Ball State won't beat Missouri this year.
PICK: OKLAHOMA
Ball State at Missouri
Pick: Missouri
Heisman Trophy winner Jason White and nine other offensive starters. In the last two weeks the Sooners have proven their mettle by demolishing two opponents. Oregon, on the other hand, was embarrassed by Big Ten doormat Indiana.
Coast Guard at Norwich
The Coast Guard are not as prominent as their brethren in the senior services: Army, Navy and Air Force. Norwich lost last season's game with Coast Guard, but this season the team has improved. This game doesn't have a true favorite, but it's always a safe bet to take the home team.
Kealing is a Chesterfield, Mc. sophomore in journalism and political science.
Pick: Norwich
WORK ABROAD
Pick: Oklahoma
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