Friday, October 15. 1999
The University Daily Kansan
Section B · Page 7
7
Big 12 Football
A&M has tradition on its side
Jayhawks to battle home advantage
By Michael Riga
Kansan sportswriter
Texas A&M tradition dictates that after each home victory, the school's five yell leaders be tossed into a nearby fish pond.
If recent history continues, they better have their swimsuits ready.
After all, the Aggies are 52-4-1 at home in this decade, they sport a 16-game home winning streak, and their opponent tomorrow, Kansas, hasn't won a conference road game since 1996, an 11-game conference road losing streak.
To top it off, Texas A&M is currently ranked as the No. 13 team in the nation, recently has expanded Kyle Field to seat more than 80,000 screaming Texans, and is the 32-point favorite in tomorrow's game.
Although most signs point to an
Aggie victory, Texas A&M coach R.C. Slocum is worried about the letdown factor following last week's 45-13 victory against Baylor.
"You are never good enough where you can look at a game like this and say, 'We'll be OK this week, and then it's going to get tough after that,' Slocum said. "It would be very foolish of us to do that."
Also, the Aggies are trying to avoid a repeat of last season, when they traveled to Lawrence and were nearly knocked off by the underdog Jayhawks in a 24-21 victory. Last year, they looked past Kansas and toward a matchup the next week with Nebraska.
If additional motivation is necessary tomorrow, the Aggies can find solace in the fact that a victory puts them in the thick of the Big 12 Conference race. If they lose, they'll drop to 1-2 in the conference after being upset two weeks ago by Texas Tech.
"This is a conference game this week, so it counts as a big game," Slocum said. "You either take a step up or a big step backwards."
fourth in the Big 12 in total offense and third in total defense, yielding only 260 yards per game.
To avoid stitching their season into reverse, the Aggies will fall back on Slocum's bread and butter
The Aggies give up only 67.8 rushing yards per game, which ranks first in the conference, and they are also first in the conference in interceptions. While Texas A&M has almost no standout defensive players on this year's team, it relies on team speed and unity to buckle down on opposing offenses.
"The thing that really matters is
what you produce and what you do
on the field," said linebacker Cornelius Anthony. "We're going to let our actions speak for themselves and let everything else take care of itself."
The lack of individual stars doesn't mean the Aggies lack defensive confidence.
"We are very confident in our defense as a unit," Anthony said.
On offence, Texas A&M features steadily improving quarterback Randy McCown and running back Dante Hall, who torched the Jayhawks for 177 yards last year, but is injured and who is listed as questionable for tomorrow's game.
Despite Texas A&M's up-and-down 4-1 start to the season, the Aggies insist their eyes are still focused on the ultimate prize — the national championship.
"It should be everyone's ultimate goal," Anthony said. "But, in order to walk, you have to learn how to crawl first. We must learn to take care of the little things."
- Edited by Jennifer Roush
K-State to battle Aggie team not from Texas
By Michael Riga
After last week's rivalry-filled Saturday, five Big 12 Conference teams welcome days off tomorrow.
By Michael Rigg sports@kansan.com Kansan sportswriter
For seven other conference teams, however, tomorrow will be another day at the office. Three conference matchups, plus one non-conference affair, are on the slate.
Utah State at Kansas State Kansas State should beware of the Utah State Aggies.
After all, Utah State holds a 3-1 all-time series lead against the Wildcats, and K-State has not beaten the Aggies since 1970.
with the odds makers.
Despite the overwhelming history in its favor, Utah State still finds itself as a 31-point underdog, and, even worse, Aggies coach Dave Arslanian agreed
"For us to think that we're good as Kansas State right now would be ludicrous," Arslanian said. "What they have done with their record and where they're at, they're a top-10 team. What we have done with our record, we're not. Yet, both teams better show up and be ready to play anyway."
Colorado at Texas Tech
On paper, Colorado at Texas Tech appears to be a little more evenly matched football game than the one in Manhattan, Kan. Both teams are coming off emotional games last week. The Red Raiders lost 41-21 to Oklahoma State, and Colorado pulled out a 46-39 overtime victory against Missouri.
Texas Tech's loss to the Cowboys came one week after the Red Raiders upset Texas A&M, and coach Spike Dykes said that the emotional roller coaster his
team had experienced this season was a way of life in the Big 12.
"It's football every week, so you can't think about the last game too long." Dykes said. "You always have another team starring in the face, so you can't let the losses fester."
Colorado coach Gary Barnett
has dented vehemently rumors this week that he has considered playing corner-back Ben Kelly
Tomorrow's game also will pit Colorado's second-ranked passing offense in the Big 12 against Texas Tech's seventh-ranked total defense in the conference, and Texas Tech is looking to
who has played an important role in each of Colorado's three wins, on offense.
Kansas at Texas A&M, 11:30 a.m. CBS: Ch. 13 and 29
BIG 12 GAMES
Utah State at Kansas State, 1:10 p.m.
Colorado at Texas Tech, 2:30
Colorado Heights Teach, 2:50
p.m.. ABC. Ch. 9 and 14
- Iowa State at Missouri, 6 p.m.
FOX Sports Net: Ch. 45
avege last season's 19-17 loss.
State of Florida
Iowa State at Missouri
The Cyclones face another big test this weekend as they face the Missouri Tigers. Tomorrow's game will be the third in a line of six games for Iowa in which it faces a 1998 bowl team.
Iowa State's defense ranks 11th in the nation. Missouri counters with a deadly running game, which ranks 16th nationally with 216 yards per game on the ground.
- Edited by Brad Hallier
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