Statement game #2.
Even the Kansas teams of old won a game or two "they shouldn't have", and some are still pegging the win in Manhattan as just that. Win again on the road, against a team that beat Boomer Sooner, and maybe you are for real. And if we lose? We will fall out of the Top 25, probably back to relative national obscurity, fighting for a chance at the Big 12 North title.
Plus, we have always struggled against the Buffaloes. Don't really know what it is, but we have problems. So, after ending the drought of wins in Manhattan since 89, let's do the same in Boulder. Of course, the streak there isn't nearly as long...
Colorado leads the all-time series 41-22-3. We met for the first time in 1903 in Boulder, a 12-11 victory for the Hawks. The next year was the first time we hosted, and the game ended in a 6-6 tie. We met for the first time as conference foes in 1948, as the Colorado Buffaloes were spending their first year in the newly formed Big 7 (it had previously been the Big 6). We trounced them, 40-7, and the Jayhawks and Buffaloes have met on the football field every year since. Here is the all-time series, broken down:
--> Kansas is 4-1-2 all-time in non-conference games. The only game Colorado won was at a neutral site, Denver, Colorado.
--> Kansas is 40-18-1 all-time in conference play against Colorado.
~ 5-7 while members of the Big 7.
~ 10-25-1 while members of the Big 8.
~ 3-8 while members of the Big 12.
--> The last time Kansas won at Colorado: 1995
The emergence of Todd Reesing! In all seriousness, this was probably the most important game of the 2006 season in the long run. Todd Reesing emerged as a viable possibility at QB, we reclaimed a tiny, tiny bit of the confidence we had lost the previous 5 games, and gave us a slight hope of making a bowl. And here we sit, a year later, having made a near complete 180 degree turnaround from this point last year. Sure, we weren't horrible last year, but we are still lightyears ahead of where we were last year. Not only in the statistics and record, but in the level of play on the field. And it all points back to this game, IMO, the comeback home win against the Buffaloes.
Which is the real Colorado? The one that outplayed Boomer Sooner in the second half a couple of weeks ago? Or the one that was dominated by Kansas State last weekend? My money is that their true identity is the team that was blown out in Manhattan, they played emotionally in the Boomer Sooner game and OU made mistake after mistake after mistake. After mistake.
--> The combinaton of Brandon Mcanderson and Jake Sharp run for 200+ yards. The key to the game will be establishing the running game, and we will do that. They won't.
--> Speaking of the devil, we will hold Hugh Charles under 100 yards. Book it.
--> Reese out-passes Cody Hawkins; Reese throws 0 INTs, Hawkins throws 2.
--> Kansas Wins 28-24.
--> Another weekend of upsets in college football, and Kansas moves up to #10 in the BCS. THE TOP 10!!!!!
Sorry for the tardiness.
ROCK CHALK!