News and Notes from the week that was leading up to this weekends matchup...
Sorry, no links this week. Fortunately or unfortunately depending on how you look at it, this was actually written Tuesday night due to my impending travel schedule and not being too certain when I might find myself in front of a computer over the next week. So, that in mind...if I say anything that turns out to sound ridiculous it's not my fault.
Denver's Take...
What to expect, what to think. That's been the question for weeks now but despite the problems over the past two weeks I kind of get the feeling that I know what we are going to get from the Jayhawks this weekend.
This is a team that was divided for the better part of the conference season. Regardless of what's happening with the current situation I truly believe that they are realizing that this is about them and their chances at a bowl. Their opportunity to salvage this season and their opportunity to play another day.
These Jayhawks are motivated. Whether that is going to be enough to overcome all the distractions, I don't know. What I do know is like we saw against Texas this team will put forth the effort and chances are it will show even more since this is Missouri.
Rock Chalk and see you at Arrowhead.
More Notes and Things to Look for After the Jump...
This Week's Game
KU-MU SERIES -- The nation's second most played rivalry resumes Saturday when Kansas and Missouri meet for the 118th time in a series which dates back to 1891. The only FBS series which has been
played more times is Minnesota and Wisconsin (119 games). The teams have met 90 consecutive years (from 1919-present) for the nation's 12th-longest uninterrupted series. The teams have met every year beginning with the 1891 matchup with the exception of 1918, when Kansas had its season shortened due to a campus wide influenza outbreak. Kansas leads the all-time series 55-53-9 and has won four of the last six meetings, including last year's thrilling 40-37 victory. Kansas Head Coach Mark Mangino is 4-3 against Missouri since taking over the Jayhawk program in 2002.
KU-MU LAST YEAR -- Todd Reesing hit Kerry Meier on a 26-yard touchdown pass with 27 seconds remaining as Kansas upset No. 12 Missouri 40-37 in a thrilling Border Showdown game on a sleeting, snowing Arrowhead Stadium on Nov. 29. MU kicker Jeff Wolfert, who had made a 48-yard field goal earlier, had his 54-yard game-tying field goal attempt blocked by Phillip Strozier to end the game. After four lead changes in the final seven minutes, Reesing engineered two fourth-quarter touchdown drives with Meier catching both go-ahead scores. Reesing was 37 of 51 for 375 yards and four touchdowns on the day. Meier established a then school record 14 catches for 106 yards. KU S Darrell Stuckey forced three MU turnovers (two interceptions and a forced fumble which he recovered). With KU leading 26-10 early in the third quarter, MU scored 20 straight points to take a 30-26 lead with 6:52 left. After a 40-yard kickoff return by Dezmon Briscoe, Reesing and company went to work going 49 yards in five plays for the score to go ahead 33-30 with 4:26 to play. MU responded when Derrick Washington scored on a six-yard run capping a seven-play, 73-yard drive to make the score 37-33 in favor of the Tigers with 1:50 to play. Reesing then engineered the game-winning drive, going 67 yards in nine plays, five of which were connections to Meier.
played more times is Minnesota and Wisconsin (119 games). The teams have met 90 consecutive years (from 1919-present) for the nation's 12th-longest uninterrupted series. The teams have met every year beginning with the 1891 matchup with the exception of 1918, when Kansas had its season shortened due to a campus wide influenza outbreak. Kansas leads the all-time series 55-53-9 and has won four of the last six meetings, including last year's thrilling 40-37 victory. Kansas Head Coach Mark Mangino is 4-3 against Missouri since taking over the Jayhawk program in 2002.
KU-MU LAST YEAR -- Todd Reesing hit Kerry Meier on a 26-yard touchdown pass with 27 seconds remaining as Kansas upset No. 12 Missouri 40-37 in a thrilling Border Showdown game on a sleeting, snowing Arrowhead Stadium on Nov. 29. MU kicker Jeff Wolfert, who had made a 48-yard field goal earlier, had his 54-yard game-tying field goal attempt blocked by Phillip Strozier to end the game. After four lead changes in the final seven minutes, Reesing engineered two fourth-quarter touchdown drives with Meier catching both go-ahead scores. Reesing was 37 of 51 for 375 yards and four touchdowns on the day. Meier established a then school record 14 catches for 106 yards. KU S Darrell Stuckey forced three MU turnovers (two interceptions and a forced fumble which he recovered). With KU leading 26-10 early in the third quarter, MU scored 20 straight points to take a 30-26 lead with 6:52 left. After a 40-yard kickoff return by Dezmon Briscoe, Reesing and company went to work going 49 yards in five plays for the score to go ahead 33-30 with 4:26 to play. MU responded when Derrick Washington scored on a six-yard run capping a seven-play, 73-yard drive to make the score 37-33 in favor of the Tigers with 1:50 to play. Reesing then engineered the game-winning drive, going 67 yards in nine plays, five of which were connections to Meier.
THINGS TO LOOK FOR AGAINST MISSOURI:
- RB Jake Sharp (2,210) needs 36 rushing yards for ninth and 39 for eighth on the KU career list.
- WR Dezmon Briscoe (2,998) needs just two receiving yards for 3,000 in his career and become just the eighth player in Big 12 history to reach that mark.
- Briscoe has caught at least four passes in 14 consecutive games and at least two in 29 straight.
- Briscoe (1,095) needs 50 receiving yards for the second best season in school history (he holds mark with 1,407 set last year).
- Briscoe (six) needs one 100-yard receiving game to tie his school record of seven set last year.
- WR Kerry Meier (2,255) needs 12 receiving yards to pass Willie Vaughn (2,266) for second on the KU career receiving yardage list behind only Dezmon Briscoe (2,998 entering Saturday).
- Meier (92) needs six receptions to break his own school record for single-season receptions of 97 set last year.
- Meier (16) needs one touchdown reception to tie for second on the KU career list behind only Briscoe (29).
- Meier has caught at least two passes in 32 consecutive games and at least one pass in 33 straight contests.
- QB Todd Reesing (10) needs one 200-yard passing game to tie his season record of 11 set in 2008.
DID YOU KNOW? -- Kansas was just the third opponent to score 20 points against Texas this season and the first in the Longhorns' last eight games (Texas Tech scored 24 and UL-Monroe scored 20).