Great Games in KU Football History: 2008 vs. Minnesota

The 2008 Insight Bowl was pretty great, but it was the beginning of the end if we’re being honest. This is the last bowl game that KU has played in and the next season was Mark Mangino’s last. We know where it’s gone from there, but on the last day of 2008, it still felt like KU football was something to be reckoned with.

Kansas Ring of Honor inductee Todd Reesing got the game started with aplomb. In the opening drive, and with only 11 seconds elapsed from the game clock, Reesing threw a 60-yard bomb to Dezmon Briscoe for the game’s first touchdown.

Minnesota tied it up just one minute later and eventually took the lead but with only 12 seconds to go in the first quarter, Reesing found Kerry Meier open for the tying touchdown. Just like that we had a barnburner in the Insight Bowl.

But Reesing wasn’t finished…..he was just getting warmed up. The second quarter belonged to Reesing as he threw touchdown passes to Jonathan Wilson and Dezmon Briscoe. Kansas was up 28-14 at the half and the KU offensive engine was purring.

It kept on rolling in the second half even though it didn’t have to. A trick play that led to Kerry Meier throwing a pass led to Briscoe’s third touchdown catch of the day. He was given the game’s MVP award for his 14 receptions, 201 yards receiving, and the aforementioned three touchdowns.

But KU wasn’t done scoring. Junior Jake Sharp gave KU its sixth TD of the afternoon on his two yard scamper into the end zone.

Kansas 42, Minnesota 21. Insight Bowl champions.

Who would’ve thought that those eight wins in the 2008 season would’ve been the end of an era at KU. Since then, Kansas has won a total of 22 games over nine seasons (and only 17 after the five win start to 2009).

It just shows that you never can tell when the good times will come to an end.