KANSAS SPORTS Numerous Jayhawk teams will take to field this weekend. Pages 3B and 4B.
SPORTS
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1995
SECTION B
Rivalry rages through good, bad and ugly
Richard Devinki / KANSAN
Kansas senior punter Darrin Simmons runs the ball for a first down on a successful fake punt against Oklahoma. The Kansas-Kansas State game at noon tomorrow in Manhattan will be televised on KSNT Channel 27 and KCTV Channel 5.
Pigskin Predictions
Oct. 28 and 29,1995
Jenni Carlson
Jennil Carlson
Kansan Sports Editor
Record: Last Week 4-1; Season 27-12-1
Tom Erickson
Kansan Associate Sports Editor
Record: Last Week 3-2; Season 27-12-1
Chris Austin
Kansan Sports Columnist
Record: Last Week 5-0; Season 30-9-1
Guest of the Week: Dan Lewerenz
Sports Editor, Kansas State Collegian
Guests' Record: 27-12-1
Kansas Kansas State Nebraska Colorado USC Washington Buffalo Miami Chicago Minnesota
KU 28 KSU 17 NU 35 CU 24 USC 17 Wash. 10 Mia. 21 Buf. 14 Minn. 14 Chi. 3
KU 24 KSU 21 NU 30 CU 20 Washington. 28 USC 27 Mia. 35 Buf. 28 Minn. 21 Chi. 7
KU 34 KSU 21 NU 52 CU 42 USC 35 Wash. 21 Buff. 21 Mia. 13 Chi. 21 Minn. 17
KSU 24 KU 10 NU 35 CU 10 Wash. 14 USC 7 Mia. 24 Buf. 14 Minn. 3 Chi. 0
Similarities in players coaches' pasts abound between Hawks, Cats
By Robert Sinclair Kansan sportswriter
During Kansas football coach Glen Mason and Kansas State football coach Bill Snyder's inaugural seasons — 1988 and 1989 respectively — both had identical records of 1-10.
Even in those lean years, the rivalry between the schools raged on, despite the perception of the contrary among the media and fans.
"It's a long cry from back in '88 when I first came here, and everybody made fun of the game," Mason said. "I felt very, very bad for those players my first two years here. Jokes about the good news and the bad news, 'The good news is, I've got tickets for the KU-K-State football game; the bad news is, I've got to use them.'
"I won't hear anybody saying that this week."
In fact, this year's game between
Andv Rohrback/KANKAN
the No. 6 Jayhawks and the No. 14 Wildcats is sold out and has been for a couple of months.
"I think anytime you're involved in a rivalry, it's a big game. It's absolutely tremendous the amount of attention that's been given to this game," Mason said. "I know that there are a lot of states around the country that are looking at Kansas, and they're envious because we have two quality football programs in our state."
This year, both teams are anticipating extending their seasons with bowl games and have a combined record of 13-1. This season is a far cry from 1988, when the two schools combined for a 1-21 record. The lone victory of the season occurred when Kansas defeated its intrastate rival.
That hasn't always been the case, though. In recent years, only one of the two teams had been experiencing success when the game rolled around. In 1992, Kansas finished its year at 8-4 and won the Aloha Bowl. The next two years, K-State went 9-2-1 (winning the Copper Bowl) and 9-3 (losing the Aloha Bowl).
This year, the Wildcats are no different from those of years past: a dominant defense with a high-flying passing attack.
"I think they've got just a tremendous defense. They've got a strong front and an excellent secondary." Mason said of the No. 1 defense in the nation. "On offense, I think they've performed well. Their quarterback, (Matt) Miller, is a more active player than I anticipated. I don't know why I say that. Maybe I was wishing he wouldn't be as good as he is."
Snyder has similar praise for the Jayhawks' signal caller after the success that Kansas senior quarterback Mark Williams has had this year.
"He adds that additional Tommie Frazier-type of dimension," he said. "Kansas has always been able to run the ball, and he's got pretty much the whole package."
It's not surprising that the two coaches agreed about the skills of their quarterbacks — the teams are ranked No. 2 (K-State) and No. 3 (Kansas) in the Big Eight Conference for passing offense. Likewise, Kansas is No. 4 in rushing, total and
Players expect hostility in Manhattan
See FOOTBALL, Page 38.
By Robert Sinclair
Kansan sportswriter
Kansas football fans traveling to Manhattan to watch tomorrow's game against Kansas State should be prepared for a rude reception.
The players certainly are.
overcome it."
"The fans in that town treat you with as little respect as possible," Kansas junior tight end Jim Moore said. "I think that's probably one of their main focuses."
Not that it bothers the Jayhawks, though. Strangely enough, some of them actually thrive on that atmosphere.
"I like going there because it's a hostile environment. Actually, we've fared well in hostile environments so far this year," Kansas senior punter Darrin Simmons said. "You've got to feel good about stepping up to meet that and try to
One of the things that makes the rivalry so special is that the game is an important recruiting tool. Although Kansas sophomore nose tackle Brett McGraw was recruited by the Wildcats, he did not have a pleasant experience with K-State football coach Bill Snvder.
"I don't even know if he knew who I was," McGraw said. "They gave you a lot of talk on the telephone about how much they were looking forward to you coming. Then you get there, and he says two words to you. 'How are you?'
"I guess that's three words."
Another part of the rivalry is that many players from both schools either have played together or know each other.
Moore played with K-State junior defensive end Nyle Wiren in the Shrine Bowl after their senior year
in high school. Simmons took a recruiting trip to Mississippi while he was in junior college with K-State senior offensive tackle Scott Heun.
The Jayhawks are expecting tomorrow's game, which kicks off at 12:10 p.m. in KSU Stadium, to be a tough one, intensified by the fact that there is no love lost between the two schools. Kansas, however, does have experience with hostile atmospheres.
"You're not calling Boulder and Norman hostile places, are you? Just because those guys were throwing stuff at me during the game and I had to be escorted out?" Kansas football coach Glen Mason asked sarcastically. "They get after me from the time I get off the bus in Manhattan until the time I leave."
"Now, when that happens to you at home, then you've got problems."
EDITORS FACE OFF
Prepare to meet your fate, K-State
My eyes were locked on the green vinyl school bus seat in front of me. I could have burned a hole right through it.
The intense heat inside the bus multiplied the anger that boiled up from inside my wool-lined boots to the red and blue knit scarf around my neck. Even though I was only in
first grade, the chant from the boy in the Kansas State sweatshirt across the aisle was one I had heard many times before.
And it still made me mad.
Growing up in Clay Center, only 40 miles from Manhattan. I spent the first 18 years of my life practically surrounded by K-State alumni, K-State fans and that always attractive K-State purple. I'm feeling a little ill thinking about it right now, but I'll forge on.
"KU, P-U!"
KANSAN
SPORTS
EDITOR
A majority of my high school classmates chose K-State as the place to further their educations. I'm sorry, guys, but I was the lucky one. I escaped.
Yeah, after two consecutive bowl trips, you and your K-State friends thought you had this football equation all figured out. Recruit some guys that like to barge into other
people's apartments and injure dogs, schedule national powerhouses such as Temple and Akron at home and, shazam, national respect.
Too bad this year the Big Red roadblock was in the way. By the way, is Matt Miller back on his feet after those he hit he took last week?
It would have been even worse, though, had the Wildcats entered the Nebraska game with any record other than 6-0. But the team that some preseason polls selected as the third-best Big Eight Conference team got scares from Cincinnati and Oklahoma State.
Some of you Wildcat fans are probably saying, "What about dem 'Hawks? They only won by five against Cincinnati. Billy Bob and me done figured it all out by 'erselfs."
Second, can I remind you that few thought the Jayhawks would do much this year? A 6-5 record was a best-case scenario for most predictors.
First of all, Billy Bob, the Jayhawks defeated Cincinnati by five points, and the Wildcats won by only two points.
The No. 6 — which also is better than No. 14 in national football polls — Kansas football team has made believers out of most everyone with ESPN wins against Texas Christian and Oklahoma and the biggie — a 40-24 drubbing of Colorado in Boulder, Colo. In that game, the Jayhawks throttled a national
I know.I was one of them.
championship contender.
But if you still are not a believer, never fear. Late tomorrow afternoon you will be.
Simmons is rarely called on, though, because of the Kansas offense. It packs a high-powered one-two punch that riddled Oklahoma's defense, which is ranked second in the nation. Running back June Henley and L.T. Levine are combining for more than 180 yards a game on the ground, while quarterback Mark Williams orchestrates Kansas' air attack.
The special teams unit is led by All-American candidate Darrin Simmons, who booms kicks for an average of 46.1 yards. That is, when he kicks at all. In the Oklahoma game, Simmons ran a fake punt 45 yards.
Kansas will win 28-17 tomorrow for three reasons: special teams, offense and defense.
If Wildcat fans have the guts to look out from under their seats after the Kansas offense works its magic, they'll see the Kansas defense doing some tricks of its own. The defense, which is without four injured starters, has allowed only three rushing touchdowns and comes up with big plays in every game.
You know, I wonder if that little boy that taunted me in first grade is still a Wildcat fan. I feel kind of sorry for him if he is.
He'll only be cheering for the second-best football team in the state tomorrow.
K-State football is 'simply' superior
Simplicity. It's a necessity when you're dealing with Kansas types. If you don't keep things simple, they simply won't understand.
So in telling you why Kansas doesn't stand a chance at KSU Stadium tomorrow, I'm going to keep it simple.
The No.1 (you remember, the
the number of credit hours Kansas offers for Shopping Mall Sales and Trends) is the first number you should remember. Kansas State has the No. 1 defense in the nation, limiting opponents to 219.6 yards a game. Even mighty Nebraska was held to about 100 yards below its average by the Wildcat defense.
Kansas fans will point out that the Jayhawks do have a consistent offensive attack. Its consistency lies in its mediocrity. Kansas ranks fourth in the Big Eight Conference in rushing and passing offense.
The only reason the fans will point out the offense is Kansas' less-than-mediocre defense. Kansas isn't even in the top half of NCAA Division I-A programs in total defense.
Now, I can hear all you Jayhawks
(almost as well as I can smell you) whining about K-State's schedule. The Wildcats played Temple (an up-and-coming Big East Conference team that beat Pittsburgh) and Cincinnati (in Cincinnati, I might add), while Kansas played national powerhouses throughout the season.
Kansas shut down a plucky Iowa State team with the nation's most diverse offense — let Troy Davis run left, let Troy Davis run right, let Troy Davis run straight.
But hey, at least the Jayhawks didn't have to resort to beating up a brand-spanking-new Division I-AA team such as Alabama-Birmingham again.
There's no end to the talent the Jayhawks have overcome, not to mention Kansas' talent for scheduling teams that have just joined a new NCAA classification. I'm sure the Eagles at North Texas are truly a frightening team.
Next, the No. 2 (you remember,
the number of consecutive wins K-State has against Kansas). As in,
the Jayhawks will soon be the No.
2 football team in Lawrence. I
think Haskell Indian Nations University could give you guys a run.
And speaking of beating up, what's this I hear about a cab driver? Don't they give football players scholarships at Kansas? Or do the players have to resort to a life of crime to pay the bills at the Landfill on the Hill? I seem to remember a certain Jayhawk running back forgetting to pay for some merchandise before leaving a store. too.
That's because all Kansas can do is run. June Henley runs the ball. LT. Levine runs the ball. Even the punter runs the ball. The Jayhawks are barely a step above Iowa State.
Yes, the Jayhawks have a better record than K-State. But has Kansas plowed Nebraska?
Finally, the No. 3 (you remember, the number of times they make you change your underwear in a week at Kansas). K-State has the No. 3 scoring defense in the nation. The Wildcats shut out Akron, Northern Illinois and Missouri on consecutive weeks.
Can Kansas boast of a single shutout?
The mighty North Texas Eagles and Houston Cougars — with a combined two wins — both scored on Kansas.
I would count higher, but I'm afraid I might lose some of you in Douglas County (you remember, where the football players sign autographs at the courthouse).
The Wildcats will reassert their superiority tomorrow on the football field. And then when the game is finished, you Kansas fans can take back your beak-waving, Toucan Sam-looking run of an imaginary bird back to Lawrence, where he'll be appreciated by people who know nothing about football.
You can send Dan your hate e-mail at (baxefs@ksu.ksu.edu)
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