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SPORTS
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
I'll solve your bowl questions
Although I tend to use this column to complain and criticize, you will not see any of that today. Instead, I'm here to provide some assistance in figuring out a most perplexing puzzle — the Big Eight/Big 12 Conference bowl scenarios.
Let's bowl.
The biggest change is that the 1995 Big Eight champion will not automatically go to the Orange Bowl in Miami. If the season ended today, No. I Nebraska would go to one of three bowls in the brand new Football Bowl Alliance, which replaced the College Football Bowl Coalition. The three bowls in the alliance are the Orange, the Fiesta in Tempe, Ariz., and the Sugar in New Orleans.
SECTION B
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3,1995
Participating conferences in the alliance are the champions of the Atlantic Coast, Big East, Big 12 (Big Eight) and Southeastern conferences. Additionally, there are two large participants.
ASSOCIATE
SPORTS
EDITOR
Additional spots can be filled by any Division I-A team eligible for postseason play except for the Big 10 and Pacific-10 Conference champions, which automatically go to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.
For 1995, the Southwest Conference, in its final year, automatically gets
one of the at-large spots. No 8. Notre Dame is guaranteed an at-large spot if it is in either The Associated Press or USA Today/CNN polls.
Another interesting change is that the three bowls now will be played on three different days. This season's game dates are Dec. 31 for the Sugar, Jan. 1 for the Orange and Jan. 2 for the Fiesta.
Back to the Big Eight. For the 1996 season, the Big Eight, Baylor, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Texas will fill the spots after the two alliance selections. In 1996 and in years following, the Big 12 champion will go to the Bowl Alliance, with the rest of the conference eligible for the remaining five slots.
The Big Eight champion, No. 1
Nebraska, to the Bowl Alliance.
With seven spots available this season and 12 teams eligible to fill them, here is where everyone likely would go if the season ended today. The Big Eight champion, No. 1
The first pick after the alliance, No. 9 Kansas State, to the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, against the Pac-10 second-place team or the Western Athletic Conference champion.
The Southwest champion, No.
13 Texas, to the Bowl Alliance.
Tom Leininger / KANSAN
The second pick after the alliance. No. 11 Kansas, to the Holiday Bowl in San Diego, against the Pac-10 second-place team or the WAC champion.
The third pick after the alliance, Baylor, to the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio, Texas, against the Big 10 fourth-place team.
The fourth pick after the alliance, No. 10 Colorado, to the Aloha Bowl in Houloulu, against the Pac-10 fourth-place team.
And finally, the fifth pick after the alliance, No. 17 Texas A&M, to the Copper Bowl in Tucson, Ariz., against the WAC second-place team.
Still confused? Keep in mind that, with three weeks left in the season, this bowl picture can change dramatically. All that is certain to remain the same are the bowls, the dates and which team goes.
Kansas, A-state and Colorado still have shots at the Big Eight title, and Oklahoma could move up. In the SWC, Baylor and Texas A&M could knock off Texas before all is sad and done. Texas Christian and Texas Tech also may have a shot at the Copper Bowl.
By the way, the real reason behind all this change is more money for the conferences. Sorry about making a complaint, but it clipped out.
There are additional rules and restrictions, most of which don't go into effect until the start of the Big 12 next season. I'll save you from that and just stick to the basics.
1984 Erickson in a Lawrence senior in law
journalism.
Missouri and No.11 Kansas have one of the oldest rivalries in college football Tomorrow they will meet at Memorial Stadium to fight the 104th battle in...
THE BORDER WAR
Kansas junior wide receiver Isaac Byrd and the rest of the No. 11 Jayhawks will try to get their winning stride back against Missouri at 1 p.m. tomorrow at Memorial Stadium.
By Robert Sinclair
Kansan sportswriter
When the No. 11 Kansas football team faces Missouri tomorrow in Memorial Stadium, there will be more at stake than the Jayhawks' continuing quest for the Big Eight Conference championship.
The two teams — continuing the longest rivalry west of the Mississippi River — also will be playing for the Indian War Drum, a traveling trophy that goes with the bragging rights between the bordering states.
"It doesn't matter who has a "good record, who's going where or who's doing what. This game should be played just because its MU-KU. Period," Kansas coach Glen Mason said. "I'm glad to hear all these people that think this game is so important are going to come and watch it. A lot of times I take grief from people that don't even go see the game."
Tomorrow's game could be the first time a Kansas-Missouri game has been sold out in Lawrence since the stadium expanded in 1965.
The one thing that might discourage a large turnout could be Kansas' disappointing performance last week against Kansas State. The offense struggled, and the defense allowed 41 points.
"After the game, we just put that game behind us," said Kansas strong safety Maurice Gaddie. "No one wants to play against someone that lost because they've got a lot to prove to others."
And just because the Tigers are winless in the conference doesn't mean they don't pose a legitimate threat to the Jayhawks.
Missouri running back Brock Olivo is sixth in the conference with 657 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Olivo's best performance of the season was against Northeast Louisiana, when he ran for 222 yards — the conference's third best performance of the season.
Another dimension to the Tigers' rushing attack is that they can run the option with freshman quarterback Corby Jones. Jones has started the last two games for Missouri and has 123 yards on 23 carries. He also is responsible for
six scoring drives. However, only one was for a touchdown.
Jenkins is junior wide receiver Rahsetnu Jenkins, who recently was reinstated after pleading guilty to assault misdemeanor
"He's one of those guys that has to be accounted for because when he has the ball in his hands, especially on the option, he can make things happen," Mason said. "They have Jenkins back
this week, and he's as good of a receiver as there is around. They've got some talented players over."
charges. Although he had been suspended since July 14, Jenkins set the sophomore receiving record and kickoff return yardage record last year for the Tigers.
He is also the cousin of Kansas junior wide receiver Isaac Byrd.
Despite having talented players, the Tigers' offense has struggled this year. It ranks last in the conference in rushing, total offense and scoring. It is second-to-last in passing.
Missouri football coach Larry Smith knows that the Mike Hankwitz-led defense at Kansas will provide a stiff resistance to his offense.
"Ive always felt Mike is a super football coach." Smith said of the Kansas defensive coordinator. "He brings to the table a very sound defense and one that's not going to beat itself."
The Missouri defense has played somewhat better than its offense this season. It is ranked sixth in scoring and rushing defense, fourth in pass efficiency and fifth overall in the conference.
Nevertheless, both Mason and Gaddie understand that it isn't always the most talented team that wins.
"They don't really impress me. I've played against better talent than them," Gaddie said. "But just because they are our rival, we've got more to prepare for."
As for playing without the most talented team on the field, Mason thinks he has an idea of what that's like.
"Nothing much seems to faze this group. We're the type of team that has to play well to have a chance. If we don't, talent isn't going to take care of us," Mason said. "Some teams are really, really talented. They might not play well, but they're still talented enough to march on.
"For us to have a chance to win against anybody we play, we must play well."
Women's volleyball team prepares to trample Buffaloes
Kansas sophomores Maggie Mohrfeld (left) and Jenny Wiedeke battle during a recent practice. The Jayhawks will face Colorado tomorrow in Boulder, Colo.
Brian Flink / KANSAN
By Bill Petulla
Kansan sportswriter
With confidence and rest in its favor, the Kansas volleyball team will try to accomplish something tomorrow that it hasn't done since the majority of the team was still in junior high school.
Defeat Colorado.
Oct. 17, 1987, marks the last time a Jayhawk volleyball team has defeated the Buffaloes.
But since the Jayhawks have one week to prepare and confidence from their Oct. 7 game against Colorado, which Kansas narrowly lost in four games, the Jayhawks have reason to believe they might change their luck tomorrow in Boulder, Colo.
"It's been a long time since we've had this much time to prepare for a match," Kansas volleyball coach Karen Schonewise said. "We know that we can play with this team and beat this team."
Kansas goes into Colorado having won two consecutive matches.
Pacing the Jayhawks is senior middle blocker Jenny Larson. After setting a career record with eight block assists against UMKC last weekend, Larson needs only one more block assist to tie for second on Kansas' all-time block assists chart.
Although she has been plagued with shoulder problems this season, freshman outside hitter Laura Rohde is expected to contribute for Kansas.
The Jayhawks defeated Missouri Kansas City in two matches last weekend.
"Laura Rohde had a very good week of practice," Schonewise said. "She's a fighter and a competitor."
For Colorado, this season has been marked by inconsistent play. Although they have been able to win their last two matches, the Buffaloes slumped midseason, losing five consecutive matches.
"The team will play good on one night and not play so good another night." Colorado volleyball coach
Leading Colorado are senior hitter Leah Williams and junior hitter Rachel Wacholder. Williams leads the team in attack percentage with .348 percent, and Wacholder is first for the Buffaloes in kills with 312.
Women's soccer to end season
Brad Saidon said. "We're just trying to survive our last five matches and get something positive out of the season."
"We'd been on the road for six weekends straight, so we took Sunday, Monday and Tuesday off, and Wednesday was our first practice this week," Saindon said.
An additional advantage for the Jayhawks includes the fact that Colorado has not had much time to prepare for tomorrow's match.
"Melissa Schutz's injury was devastating," Saindon said. "Going into the season we only had two middle blockers. We hoped that neither would get hurt. We tempted fate, and fate got us."
Freshman midfielder Denise Cooke has played much of the season with a torn medial collateral ligament and a partially torn anterior cruciate ligament. She will have surgery to repair her right knee next week.
Kansan staff report
Following the injury of freshman middle blocker Melissa Schutz, the Buffaloes have gone 3-3 in Big Eight Conference play.
The Jayhawks (5-11) will end the first season of varsity soccer at Kansas this weekend in Tulsa, Okla., with games against Oral Roberts (5-12) at 3 p.m. today and Arkansas-Little Rock at 1 p.m. Sunday.
It's the end of the beginning for the Kansas women's soccer team.
In Arkansas-Little Rock, the Jayhawks will have their best and last opportunity to defeat a team beyond its first year of competition.
"Denise has a tremendous heart."
Walker said. "Most players wouldn't even be able to walk with the injury."
The severity of Cooke's injury would have sidelined most players, Kansas women's soccer coach Lori Walker said.
"We're looking forward to it being our last game. I think we'll be real fired up for that." Walker said.
Pigskin Predictions
Jenni Carlson
American Sports Editor
Record: Last Week 2-2-1; Season 29-14-2
Tom Erickson
Kansen Associate Sports Editor
Record: Last Week 2-12; Season 29-14-2
Kansas Sports Columnist
duest of the Week: Howard Hill
Chris Austin
Record: Last Week 2-2-1; Season 32-11-2
Director, KANU Radio and Kansas Football and Basketball
Public Address Services
Public Address Announcer
Guerta's Record: 304.1.2 * - crease not to just give because of use of ink in inkscents
Missouri ☑ Kansas
Penn. St. ☑ Northeastern
Oklahoma ☑ Kansas State
Washington ☑ Kansas City
Missoula ☑ New Mexico
KU 38 MU 14
NW 17 PSU 13
OU 24 KSU 10
K.C. 35 Wash. 7
Mia. 24 S.D. 21
KU 24 MU 14
NW 31 PSU 28
KSU 17 OU 10
K.C. 28 Wash. 7
Mia. 14 S.D. 13
KU 37 MU 17
NW 21 PSU 17
KSU 34 OU 24
K.C. 24 Wash. 13
Mia. 21 S.D. 16
KU 35 WU 7
PSU 21 NW 16
KSU 42 OU 10
* Mia. 31 S.D. 17
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Andy Rohrback