SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
RED SOX WIN ALCS IN SEVEN PAGE 4B
12
WWW.KANSAN.COM
MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2007
CHIEFS BEAT RAIDERS 12-10 PAGE 9B
PAGE 1B
KANSAS 19,COLORADO 14
A ROCKY VICTORY
Anna Faltermeyer/KANSAN
Kansas football fans celebrate following the team's 19-14 victory against Colorado at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colo., on Saturday evening. The victory moved the Jayhawks to a 7-0 record for the season. Kansas rose to No. 12 in the Associated Press poll and No. 9 in the BCS standings Sunday.
Forced turnovers, staunch defense clinch tough game for Jayhawks; Reesing's run provides lone offensive highlight
BY ASHER FUSCO
afusco@kansan.com
BOULDER, Colo. - Nestled at the base of the Rocky Mountains and surrounded by tree-lined hills, Folsom Field is one of the most picturesque venues in college football. None of that beauty found its way onto the field Saturday afternoon.
Kansas (7- 0, 3- 0 Big 12) came out on top against Colorado (4- 4, 2- 2 Big 12) in a
defensive struggle full of turnovers and big hits. For the better part of 60 ugly minutes for the offenses, the teams traded defensive punches until Kansas finally secured a 19-14 victory. With the victory, Kansas moved up to No. 12 in the Associated Press poll, No. 10 in the USA Today coaches' poll and No. 9 in the BCS rankings.
AN UGLY WIN
The dropped passes, costly penalties and
mental mistakes that played a large role in Saturday's game allowed the rare moments of eye-pleasing football to stand out even further. The game's most awe-inspiring offensive play, which came late in the first quarter, gave Kansas the upper hand early.
On third-and-four from his own 17-yard line, Kansas sophomore quarterback Todd Reesing dropped back to pass. As was often the case against the solid Colorado secondary, the quarterback could not locate an
open receiver. Instead of forcing the ball to a covered teammate, Reeing doubled back toward the right sideline and took off running downfield.
Just when it appeared Resing might head for the safety of the sideline, senior wide receiver Marcus Henry and senior tight end Derek Fine each latched onto a
The quick quarterback scampered past the Colorado defensive linemen and the first-down marker.
Colorado defender and opened a wide path for their quarterback.
Reeing didn't beat the last Buffalo defender to the goal line, but he did advance the ball to the Colorado 30-yard line — just close enough for the layhawks to take a 3-0 lead on a 48-yard field goal by senior kicker Scott Webb two minutes later.
"It was either throw the ball away or
SEE FOOTBALL ON PAGE 6B
COMMENTARY
Mangino, Snyder have similar history
MARK MANGINO (2002
PRESENT), THROUGH 5 $ _{1/2} $
SEASONS (OCT 22, 2007)
Year Record Conference
2002 2-10 0-8
2003* 6-7 3-5
2004 4-7 2-6
2005* 7-5 3-5
2006 6-6 3-5
2007 7-0 3-0
Total 32-35 14-29
*Kansas lost the Tangerine bowl against North Carolina State 26-56
*Kansas won the Fort Worth bowl against Houston 42-13
The first season with Snyder as a coach, Kansas State went 1-10, with an unimpressive 20-17 home victory against North Texas State. During the first four years, Snyder coached Kansas State to an 18-26 record. In his fifth season in 1993, the Wildcats finished 9-2-1, ranked No. 20 in the AP poll. The year was topped with a 52-17 victory against Wyoming in the Copper Bowl.
In 1989, Kansas State called upon Bill Snyder for the biggest task in college football: turning arguably the worst team in FBS into a winning program. Stan Parrish could not do it. The Wildcats had gone 27 games without a victory, with only a tie against a 1-7 Kansas team in 1987, in the infamous "toilet bowl."
On Oct. 22, 1994, five and a half years into Snyder's coaching career at Kansas State, the No. 19 (4-1) Wildcats lost to Colorado in Boulder, 35-21. Similarly, thirteen years later, on Oct. 22, 2007, Mark Mangino is five and a half years into his head-coaching career at Kansas. The only difference is Kansas came out on top against Colorado, improving to 7-0 and a No. 12 ranking in the AP poll. It should also be noted the Colorado team
BILL SNYDER 1989-1994,
THROUGH $ \frac{5} {2} $ SEASONS
(OCT. 22, 1994)
SEE WHEELER ON PAGE 9B
Year Record Conference
1989 1-10 0-7
1990 5-6 2-5
1991 7-4 4-3
1992 5-6 2-5
1993* 9-2-1 4-2-1
1994 4-2 1-2
Total 31-30-1 13-24-1
*Kansas State won the Copper Bowl against Wyoming 52-17
COMMENTARY
Few, if any, have been more skeptical of Kansas football this season than I. From day one I've anticipated the worst and downplaved the lavihawks' triumphs.
I predicted that with a soft nonconference schedule, the Jayhawks would crumble once Big 12 play started. I expected that without Jon Cornish, the offense would be as one-dimensional as Adam Sandler. Aqib Talib aside, I didn't trust Kansas' pass defense to keep opponents from scoring at will. And, most of all, I had no faith in coach Mark Mangino.
Talib deserves recognition, Heisman trophy discussion
It's not Mangino's fault. I've just been surrounded by underachieving teams my whole life. Growing up a Royals, Chiefs and Kansas basketball fan, I'm accustomed to disappointment. If not for Husker football, sports would be synonymous with heartbreak for me.
Tom Osborne might as well have been my grandfather when I was growing up. There will never be a better college quarterback than Tommie Frazier, and the 1995 Nebraska team will forever be the greatest
ESPN.com's Heisman Watch lists its top 14 candidates for the Heisman, of which none are lavhawks.
Kansas finished No. 9 in the nation that season but was still a far cry from Nebraska. Nebraska was at the center of the college football universe and with victories came awards. There wasn't an award watch list in America without a Cornhusker on it.
}
That's why I, as critical as I've been of Kansas football this season, find it appalling — with undefeated teams harder to find than Waldo — that no Jayhawks are receiving serious award consideration. Most notably, Heisman consideration.
Instead, the list includes only two players on unbeaten teams: Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan and Hawaiian quarterback Colt Brennan. Half of the players are on teams with multiple losses, including Arkansas running back Darren Fmadden and Louisville quarterback Brian Brohm, who have seven combined losses. These are all great players, no doubt, but at some point records should factor in.
in college football history. My first trip to Kansas' Memorial Stadium in 1995 wasn't to see the Jayhawks; it was to see Osborne, Frazier and the Cornhuskers, who won 41-3.
Enter Kansas junior cornerback Aqib Talib.
SEE SHROYER ON PAGE 9B
1