Insight Bowl: Kansas vs. Minnesota

By JOHN SEARS - BIG TEN INSIDER

December 31, 2008 * 5:30 * NFL Network
Sun Devil Stadium * Tempe, Arizona

The Jayhawks kicked off the season 5-1, but soon stumbled across a murderer’s row of Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Nebraska and Texas in a five-week stretch (all losses). As fast as the Gophers (7-5) went from instant overachievers (4-0) to January 1st bowl contenders (7-1), they became a team in a tail-spin after losing their last four. Nevertheless, posting a 7-5 record was a significant achievement after their abysmal 1-11 2007 campaign.

When the Gophers Have the Ball

Minnesota’s run under Coach Tim Brewster this year certainly drifted towards disappointment with their November woes. The struggles can be attributed to the loss of, junior receiver Eric Decker. Decker was the fulcrum of the Minnesota offense leading the team in receptions, receiving yards, yards from scrimmage and receiving touchdowns. Crisp route running and soft hands provided him the tools to be almost more productive than the next three receivers combined. Rushing has not been a particular strong suit, but the Gophers piece-meal ground game gained just under 1,000 yards (11 touchdowns) between a freshman DeLeon Eskridge and quarterback Adam Weber. “Quick strike” won’t be the descriptor for the Gophers’ offense – it will be more of a ball control offense in this one.

When the Jayhawks Have the Ball

Contrary to their opponents, Kansas has had little trouble scoring often, averaging 33 points per game. It comes as little surprise that another Big 12 team churned out massive yards and scoring behind the arm of their gunslinger, two-year starter Todd Reesing. Quite simply, when Reesing is on, the Jayhawks have a good chance of winning – in six of their seven victories he has averaged 330 yards and 2.67 touchdowns per contest. Reesing’s two main targets are Kerry Meier (hauling in 87 receptions, seven touchdowns) and big-play receiver Dezmon Briscoe (15.5 yards/catch, 12 touchdowns). When they are not throwing the ball all over the field, which has accounted for 70 percent of their total yards from scrimmage, Jake Sharp and Angus Quigley moved the ball on the ground at five yards per carry and combined for 14 scores.

Final Analysis

Minnesota has shown they can contend in the Big Ten conference, especially when their defense hands the ball over to the offense. Weber to Decker has been the catalyst for the Gophers’ success on offense, but if Decker played for Kansas, he would have finished third on the team in receptions, yards, and touchdowns. Kansas’ Reesing finished eighth in the FBS in yards, 12th in touchdowns (28) and 21st in rating (146). The ability of the Jayhawks to pass the ball coupled with Minnesota’s anemic passing defense (in a rush-oriented Big Ten conference no less) ranked 88th in the FBS (232 yards/game) it seems unfair to think this game will be close. Furthermore, the Gophers’ bread-and-butter is winning the turnover battle, but Kansas is good at protecting it. Not much is leaning in Minnesota’s favor. The Gophers must hope Reesing continues to be interception-prone (7th worst in quarterbacks with at least 15 attempts/game with 12 interceptions) to have any hope.

Kansas Jayhawks (7-5, 4-4)
Pass: Todd Reesing – 3,575 yards, 28 TDs
Run: Jake Sharp – 796 yards, 11 TDs
Catch: Dezmon Briscoe – 1,206 yards, 12 TDs

Minnesota Golden Gophers (7-5, 3-5)
Pass: Adam Weber – 2,585 yards, 14 TDs
Run: DeLeon Eskridge – 652 yards, 7 TDs
Catch: Eric Decker – 925 yards, 6 TDs

The CFI Prediction: Kansas 46, Minnesota 27

Photo Credit: Jeff Jacobsen/Kansas Athletics, University of Minnesota Athletic Communications

This Date in College Football History

Dec. 22, 2003: In Orlando, North Carolina State beats Kansas 56-26 in the Tangerine Bowl. Wolfpack quarterback Phillip Rivers sets an NCAA record, starting his 54th college football game. Rivers throws 37-45 for 475 yards and five touchdowns as he sets a new Tangerine Bowl passing record.

Credit: The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame

KANSAS IS TOSTITOS FIESTA BOWL NATIONAL TEAM OF THE WEEK

DALLAS (FWAA) – With their 40-37 win over Missouri, the Kansas Jayhawks (7-5) are the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week for games of the weekend of Nov. 29.

Todd Reesing threw for 375 yards and four touchdowns, including a 26-yard game-winner on fourth down with 27 seconds left to lift the Jayhawks to the dramatic win in the schools' 117th meeting.

Kerry Meier caught 14 passes for 106 yards and a pair of scores, the last providing the margin of victory as Kansas, which led 26-10, had to come from behind and then withstand a Missouri drive and field goal attempt in the waning seconds.

Other Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Bowl National Team of the Week nominees for the weekend of Nov. 29 included:

• Cincinnati (10-2): The Bearcats clinched their first Big East Conference championship with a 30-10 win over Syracuse, giving them their second straight 10-win season.

• Mississippi (8-4): In winning the Egg Bowl, the Rebels held Mississippi State to 37 total yards in a 45-0 win.

• Oregon (9-3): The Ducks ran up 694 yards of offense in a 65-38 win over rival Oregon State to spoil the Beavers' hopes of a clinching a Rose Bowl berth.

The FWAA has named a national team of the week since the 2002 season. This is the fifth season that the award has been sponsored by the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.

For more information go to footballwriters.com.

The O'Brien on-the-road Fan Vote campaign continues in Week Twelve

FORT WORTH, Texas (November 10, 2008) - On Saturday, November 15, the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award® (The O'Brien) will continue the third week of its on-the-road campaign visiting its 13 Semifinalists' campuses. The O'Brien will pack its bags once again to visit three more Semifinalists this weekend. College football enthusiasts and fans alike are encouraged to stop by The O'Brien displays and cast their vote for their favorite Semifinalist. Fans who vote will also have the opportunity to be entered into the "Defend Your Pride. Vote The O'Brien Sweepstakes," for a chance to win a trip to the 2009 O'Brien Awards Dinner. The display will open prior to kickoff and continue through the first quarter of each game.

The O'Brien on-the-road tour will collect votes throughout the Semifinalist period until Finalists are announced November 24. Finalists will be selected by The O'Brien Selection Committee, comprised of journalists, broadcasters, commentators and former winners, with 5% of the overall voting tally coming directly from the Fan Vote. Fans who are not able to cast a vote in person are encouraged to register and vote at www.VoteOBrien.org.

Saturday, November 15 (Week 12 Visits)
Alphabetical by last name

* Daryll Clark
Indiana at Penn State

* Todd Reesing
Texas at Kansas

* John Parker Wilson
Mississippi State at Alabama

About The O'Brien Fan Vote
Fans can now register and vote for The O'Brien Fan Vote online at www.VoteOBrien.org to show their support for their favorite Semifinalist. The Fan Vote will count as 5% in determining the Finalists and Winner. The 2008 Winner will be announced during The Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards Show airing December 11 on ESPN. The recipient will be honored February 16, 2009, at the 32nd Annual Davey O'Brien Awards Dinner at The Fort Worth Club in Fort Worth, Texas.

Fans can download an interactive "widget" featuring a voting link and the ability to post and share on Web sites, social networks and blogs by clicking here.

Fans can also show their support by adding The O'Brien Facebook application to their Facebook Profile. The new application can be found by searching O'Brien Fan Vote and clicking the applications tab or by clicking here.

About The Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award®
The O'Brien honors the nation's best college quarterback of the year and inspires student-athletes to triumph both on and off the field. By recognizing and honoring athletes who excel in both sports and academics while exhibiting strong character and leadership, The O'Brien aims to help instill a lifelong moral fiber in each candidate. The O'Brien is overseen by the Davey O'Brien Foundation, which was founded in 1977 and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. The Foundation has given away more than $750,000 in scholarships and university grants to help high school and college athletes transform leadership on the field into leadership in life. For more information, visit www.DaveyOBrien.org.

CFI RANKINGS: #17 KANSAS JAYHAWKS

2007 RECORD: 12-1; BIG 12: 7-1
Won Orange Bowl vs. Virginia Tech 24-21
LOCATION: Lawrence, Kansas
STADIUM: Memorial Stadium (50,071)
HEAD COACH: Mark Mangino
OVERALL: 37-36 (6 seasons)
AT TECH: 37-36 (6 seasons)

Coach Mark Mangino is Exhibit A for staying the course…in sports at least. The Jayhawks broke through for 12 wins in his sixth season as head man after averaging five wins in his first five years, with just one winning season (7-6 in 2005). While no one knows if they can match last season’s win total or make it back to a BCS game, it is clear they are no one-year wonder. KU appears to have built a solid foundation and are a program to be reckoned with in the Big 12 North.

WHEN THE JAYHAWKS HAVE THE BALL

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Ed Warinner (2nd Season)
OFFENSIVE STARTERS RETURNING: 6
KEY LOSSES: Anthony Collins, Marcus Henry, Brandon McAnderson, Derek Fine, Cesar Rodriguez

The Jayhawks had one of college football’s most balanced offenses last season—Todd Reesing threw for 3,486 yards and 33 touchdowns (7 INTs) and tailbacks Brandon McAnderson and Jake Sharpe combined for over 2,000 yards on the ground. McAnderson (16 TDs) is gone, as is number one receiver Marcus Henry (1,014 yards & 10 TDs), but they should be just fine at the skill positions. With Sharpe and newcomer Jocques Crawford (National JC Player of the Year) they again expect to have a solid one-two punch in the backfield. Moreover, Reesing will not lack for targets as their leading pass catcher, Dexton Fields (63 receptions) returns, while sophomore Dezmon Briscoe is ready to break out. The concern comes along the offensive line, where both tackles must be replaced—Cesar Rodriguez was a four-year starter and Collins anchored the line from left tackle.

TOP PROSPECTS: 1) WR Dezmon Briscoe (SO), 2) OT Jeff Spikes (FR)

WHEN THE OTHER TEAM HAS THE BALL

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Clint Bowen (3rd Season)
DEFENSIVE STARTERS RETURNING: 9
KEY LOSSES: Aqib Talib, James McClinton

The Jayhawks have an outstanding back seven with one of the best linebacking corps and defensive backfields in the Big 12. They will miss playmaking lockdown corner Aqib Talib, but in junior SS Darrell Stuckey and sophomore CB Chris Harris (Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year) they possess two solid building blocks. The strength of the defense is in the middle, as all three linebackers return—all three are seniors and more importantly, all three can play. Joe Mortensen mans the middle, James Holt excels at getting into the backfield from his SAM position, while WILL Mike Rivera may actually be the most talented of the trio. The toughest man to replace could be tackle James McClinton. This is a workman-like line--solid, but not spectacular. Their backup ends, sophomore Jake Laptad and junior Maxwell Onyegbule, are probably their most explosive linemen.

TOP PROSPECTS: 1) CB Chris Harris (SO), 2) OLB Mike Rivera (SR)

THE SCHEDULE

This is where it gets dicey for the Jayhawks and while the KU faithful may not want to hear this, the reality is the 2008 schedule is far more difficult than the one they navigated through last season. They trade Oklahoma St., Texas A & M and Baylor from the South Division with the trifecta of Oklahoma, Texas and Texas Tech—not exactly a winning ticket. They also add South Florida, No. 21 in the Coaches Poll, to the out of conference docket. Oh yeah, they still have to play that Missouri team from across the border to end the season.

PIVOTAL POINT

Don’t Stop Believing: Even if the Jayhawks are better this season, the likelihood is their record won’t be. They won their four out of conference contests in ’07 by a combined margin of 214-23—now that is a heck of a way to build a team’s confidence to start the season. What if they drop that week three contest to South Florida…how will they react? How about if they suffer a tough loss in Norman…how will they bounce back against Tech the following week? They did not suffer a loss until the final game of the ’07 regular season. When they get hit this year, how will they respond?

CFI FINAL ANALYSIS

Outside of Lawrence, not many are expecting a repeat performance from the Jayhawks…but no one is expecting them to go away quietly either. Rather than focus too much on repeating their achievements of last season, what Kansas needs to do is follow through on what they started. There is no reason why they won’t. Not too long ago nine or ten wins would be welcomed with open arms, and it should be this season as well.

Photo Credit: Jeff Jacobsen/Kansas Athletics

CFI: THE BIG 12 NORTH REPORT

BY BROCK MURPHY
BIG 12 INSIDER

1) Last weekend, Missouri had its hands full in the first half of its game with Kansas State in the Little Apple, taking the locker room with just a 21-18 lead. In fact, with just two minutes left in the game, Mizzou’s offense had outgained that of KSU by a single yard (407 to 406). The difference was efficiency. The Tigers were twice as efficient at turning real estate gained into paydirt by producing six offensive TD’s to KSU’s three. Chase Daniel was the efficiency trigger for Mizzou – completing 28 of 41 passes for 284 yards and 4 TD’s (0 INT’s). Tiger receiver Jeremy Maclin snagged nine of Daniel’s tosses for 143 yards and two scores. MU’s Tony Temple kept things honest offensively with his 16 carries for 75 yards and 2 TD’s. An obvious area of concern for the Tigers is pass defense. Ranked 96th, nationally, they entered the KSU game giving up 259 yards per game. KSU made that stat honest by gaining 256 yards and picking up two scores through the air. The Wildcats’ Josh Freeman was ranked 62nd in the nation in pass efficiency (14 TD’s/10 INT’s). Next up? Kansas’s Todd Reesing, who, though nursing a gimpy ankle, has thrown 30 TD’s and only 4 INT’s this season.

2) Kansas made it certain that both teams in next weekend’s battle in Arrowhead Stadium will be in the top 5 with an impressive 45-7 over Iowa State. Clearly bothered by a sore ankle, QB Todd Reesing led the Jayhawk charge with 4 TD’s and 253 yards after completing 21 of 26 passes. Five incompletions and no interceptions… not bad. Keeping things honest, tailbacks Jake Sharp and Brandon McAnderson had 24 combined carries for 153 yards. The Jayhawk defense dominated both sides of the ball – holding ISU to two yards per carry (26-52) while limiting the Cyclone passing attack to less-than 8 yards per catch (24-182). They also intercepted a pass while keeping ISU from tossing a scoring pass. KU’s Aqib Talib could be the nation’s top cornerback but you can bet Missouri’s athletic receivers, Jeremy Maclin and William Franklin noticed Talib’s vulnerability to a combination route, which ISU’s Marquis Hamilton threw on him early in the game for a 46-yard gain.

3) Kansas State lost to Mizzou but put in a good offensive effort in the process. Josh Freeman threw for 256 yards and two TD’s, though the yardage was a hair under 10 yards per completion and he also threw an interception. On the ground, senior James Johnson had his best outing of the year with 172 yards, including a rumbling 66-yard scamper near the end of the 1st-quarter. The Wildcats should be proud of the 406 yards they posted against the Tiger defense but have to be concerned about their three turnovers, including two fumbles. KSU ends the season visiting Fresno State, a team whose defense has produced only 10 turnovers while allowing nearly 200 rushing yards per game.

4) Iowa State ended its season with the 45-7 loss in Lawrence. Head Coach Gene Chizik’s first season was not quite what Cyclone fans had in mind. Having finished 4-8 in 2006, ISU ended 2007 with a worse record (3-9). With the former defensive coordinator and defensive-back coach from Texas at the helm, one expected the Cyclone defense to show great strides against the pass. Numbers did improve for this year’s unit, but not by much. The 2006 Cyclones were the most considerate in the nation to other team’s passers, having allowed a 72.46% completion rate. The 2007 model barely reduced that number (to 69.7%). This year’s defense also bested the 2006 team’s TD/INT ratio – 24/10 (’07) to 26/6 (’06). One area which saw clear improvement under Chizik was rush defense, where this year’s team finished 38th (129 ypg) while last year’s unit was ranked 89th (154 ypg).

5) Nebraska will play for bowl-eligibility against Colorado the day after Thanksgiving but they will also likely be playing their last game for Head Coach Bill Callahan. Seven Husker opponents have run for 195 yards or more this year, including four opponents who have topped the 300-yard mark. As a result, only four teams in the nation (Louisiana-Lafayette, Army, North Texas and UAB) have given up more yards on the ground (228 ypg) than the Black Shirts. The Black Shirts have only produced 11 turnovers this year (3 fumbles, 8 INT’s) while Nebraska’s offense has given up 25 turnovers (11 fumbles, 14 INT’s), which is why Big Red is tied for 114th in the nation in turnover margin. Even with Joe Ganz at the helm, the Huskers’ passing attack has been productive and, in fact, deep-threat Maurice Purify has two straight 100-yard games. Remember, heading into this week’s game against CU, Nebraska has come off of the opposite ends of 70-point games (39-76 at KU; 73-31 vs. KSU), but Joe Ganz now has two games’ worth of experience behind him and nearly two weeks to prepare for this season’s finale. Nebraska has won the last two games against Colorado, besting the Buffaloes 37-14 in Lincoln last year and 30-10 in 2005 in Boulder.

6) Colorado lost to Iowa State two weeks ago to put them in a position where both they and Nebraska will be playing for Bowl Eligibility this Friday. The Buffs don’t do anything particularly well but neither are they among the nation’s worst in any category. Quarterback Cody Hawkins has a shaky TD/INT ratio of 17/15 this year but his 2,452 passing yards this season is positively prolific compared to the 1,422 yards the team posted in 2006. CU’s rushing defense has historically been strong and that remains the case this year (128 ypg [34th, nationally]) and its pass defense is more efficient than last year’s model (58% completion rate; 12 INT’s and 20 TD’s vs. 67% 12/22 in ‘06).

Photo Credit: Mizzou Media Relations

Jayhawks and Tigers both win, set up Arrowhead Stadium showdown

By DOUG TUCKER
AP Sports Writer

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) - As the big crowd filed happily out of Memorial Stadium Saturday night, a young woman with an excited smile and a ``Go Jayhawks'' sweater had a question.

``Now, does this mean,'' she asked her companion, ``that we're in the Final Four of football?''

OK, so not everybody at Kansas quite gets this football thing. But cut 'em a little slack.

One way to find the stadium on this picturesque campus is by taking a street that's named in honor of the inventor of basketball. This is a school that has won or shared five of the last six Big 12 basketball titles but hasn't owned even a piece of a football championship in 39 years.

Never even in their wildest dreams have the Jayhawks won a national football championship. Neither has archrival Missouri. The Tigers' last share of a conference crown was 38 years ago.

But all those decades of gridiron futility could soon come to a historic, unfathomable end, depending on what unfolds Saturday night in a raucous and sold-out Arrowhead Stadium.

No. 2 Kansas (11-0, 7-0 Big 12) will meet No. 3 Missouri for the 116th and most important time in a fierce rivalry that began in 1891 and traces its emotional roots all the way back to the pre-Civil War days of the lawless Western frontier.

Excitement for this game has been building for more than a month. Fans on both sides of a state line that meanders through the middle of the Kansas City metropolitan area could see it coming. Then on Saturday the final pieces fell together when Missouri whipped Kansas State 49-32 and Kansas went to 11-0 for the first time in its checkered football history by routing Iowa State 45-7.

Now Kansas is ranked higher than it has ever been and Missouri is at its highest since the Tigers were No. 1 on Nov. 14, 1960, the last season they had 10 victories.

The winner Saturday night is the Big 12 North champion and goes to the conference championship game in San Antonio in Dec. 1. If Missouri or Kansas wins the Big 12 title game, they could very well be headed to the national championship game in New Orleans.

``This is fun,'' said Missouri coach Gary Pinkel. ``Are you kidding me? It doesn't get any better than this.''

Even after clearing the final hurdle before the most-anticipated game these two old rivals have played, the Jayhawks were slow coming out of the one-at-a-time mind-set coach Mark Mangino has so tightly programmed into their heads.

``We're 11-0. I feel great. It's awesome,'' said Todd Reesing, the sophomore quarterback who is on the verge of smashing his school's career passing record in his first full season as a starter.

``At this point, we're going out there every week trying to take care of business. We've handled ourselves week in and week out, prepared real hard, practiced real hard. For us, we're taking it one step at a time and trying to get a win every week. This is what we've worked all year to try to do.''

A possible ticket to the national championship game won't be all that's on the line. Both Reesing and his Missouri counterpart, Chase Daniel, are gaining more and more mention in the Heisman Trophy race.

``I'm really just speechless when someone mentions that,'' said Reesing, who threw four touchdown passes against Iowa State and hasn't been intercepted in a school-record 205 straight throws.

Daniel was more eager than Reesing to look ahead.

``Chase Daniel came up to me and gave me a hug and said, `Coach, believe it or not, now we are allowed to start talking about Kansas,''' Pinkel said.

In the meantime, some of the nation's most sophisticated basketball fans are boning up on the finer points of football.

``I'm just like all those Jayhawk fans out there,'' Kansas chancellor Robert Hemenway said. ``I'm excited and pleased and not quite sure how I'm supposed to act.''

Source: ncaafootball.com; Photo Credit: Mizzou Athletics

FWAA names three finalists for 2007 Outland Trophy

DALLAS (FWAA) - Kansas offensive tackle Anthony Collins, LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey and Michigan offensive tackle Jake Long have been named finalists for the 62nd Outland Trophy, which is awarded to the best interior lineman in college football.

The winner of the Outland Trophy, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America, will be announced on Dec. 6 during the Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards Show from The Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

Either Kansas, LSU or Michigan will produce an Outland Trophy winner for the first time.

Collins, a 6-6, 310-pound junior, is the leader on the Jayhawks' offensive line which has helped produce an 11-0 season. The native of Beaumont, Texas, has started 23 games in his career at KU. He has played left tackle this season after playing right tackle as sophomore. The Jayhawks rank seventh in total offense and second in the county in scoring offense.

Dorsey, who also is a Bronko Nagurski Trophy (Best Defensive Player) finalist, anchors LSU's fourth-rated rush defense. He has registered 11.5 tackles for losses for the once-beaten Tigers and made 55 total tackles. The 6-2, 299-pound senior has broken up three passes and been a major disruptive force for a defense which also ranks second in total defense, ninth in pass defense and ninth in scoring defense nationally.

Long, a member of the FWAA All-America team a year ago as a junior, has allowed only one sack all season and never been flagged for a penalty in 12 games. He has been the primary blocker for Michigan running back Michael Hart, a 1,000-yard rusher this season. The 6-7, 313-pound Long, a senior, is considered the top offensive lineman in the Big Ten Conference.

The Outland Trophy, which has been awarded annually by the FWAA since 1946, is named after the late John Outland, a lineman at Pennsylvania at the turn of the century. The Outland Trophy is the third oldest award in major college football behind the Heisman Trophy and Maxwell Award.

The official 2007 award presentation will be Jan. 10, 2008, in Omaha, Neb., at a banquet sponsored by The Greater Omaha Sports Committee. Oklahoma's Lee Roy Selmon, the 1975 Outland Trophy winner, is expected to receive his trophy there.

Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri all in national title picture

By R.B. FALLSTROM
AP Sports Writer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) - The Big 12 is going to play a huge role in the race for the national title.

The conference has three of the top six teams in the country with Oklahoma, unbeaten Kansas and Missouri heading into the final three weeks of the regular season.

Barring upsets - which might be a stretch this season - No. 3 Oklahoma will to meet the winner of Kansas and Missouri's game Nov. 24 at Kansas City in the Big 12 championship game Dec. 1 in San Antonio.

The winner of that game could make a good case to be playing for the national title on Jan. 7 in New Orleans, though the chances of that actually happening are iffy at best.

Kansas is the only unbeaten team left among the six conferences with an automatic bid to the BCS following top-ranked Ohio State's 28-21 upset loss at home against Illinois, and is 10-0 for the first time since 1899. The Jayhawks have the Big 12's stingiest defense and have not committed a turnover in three games.

``It's awesome, it's unbelievable,'' said quarterback Todd Reesing, who has gone five games without an interception. ``To be at this point in the season and be undefeated is beyond out wildest dreams''

Oklahoma is 9-1 after freshman DeMarco Murray's four-touchdown showing in a 52-21 victory over Baylor. The Sooners stumbled in a loss to Colorado in their conference opener, but have been steadily climbing back into the race since then. The Sooners face Texas Tech at home on Saturday and face rival Oklahoma State the next week. One victory in their next two will be good enough to get the Sooners into the Big 12 title game. They need to be perfect to have a shot at the national title.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Sam Bradford has led Oklahoma with 28 touchdown passes and only five interceptions. He threw for 353 yards on Saturday, 11 yards off his career high, for three touchdowns.

``Sam was exceptional again,'' coach Bob Stoops said. ``Those deep balls could not have been any better.''

Turnovers were disastrous to Missouri in a 41-31 loss at Oklahoma on Oct. 13, and quarterback Chase Daniel burns for another shot. The Tigers (9-1) have nine victories for the first time since 1969, knocking Nebraska and Texas Tech out of the rankings with impressive blowouts, and their 40-34 victory over Illinois in the opener adds luster to their resume.

Both Missouri and Kansas stared down adversity on Saturday, rebuilding once-comfortable leads that had been shaved to five points. Kansas scored the last 10 points in a 43-28 victory at Oklahoma State.

``The fans were on their feet and the place was getting noisy, and the kids just kept their poise,'' Kansas coach Mark Mangino said. ``They don't panic.''

Texas A&M twice cut the gap to five, forcing Missouri to answer twice. The Tigers scored nine points in the final 3:44 of a 40-26 victory, the big play on Jeremy Maclin's 12-yard touchdown catch.

``This is what champions are made of,'' Daniel said. ``It was something special.''

Before the Jayhawks and Tigers meet in an unexpected showdown, both have work to do.

``We're not caught up in polls and all that stuff,'' Mangino said. ``Our team is 10-0 right now because we have taken care of the task at hand.''

Kansas plays at home against Iowa State next week while Missouri is at Kansas State, where the Tigers have not won since 1989. Missouri had two November losses in each of coach Gary Pinkel's first six seasons.

``You want to play your best football in November,'' Pinkel said. ``Kansas State will be another barrier. Someone said we haven't won there in like 97 years.

``My big thing is just keeping players focused on what we have to do to play our best game.''

Source: ncaasports.com; Photo Credit: OU Athletics Department

Kansas is Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week

DALLAS (FWAA) - With their 19-11 win at Texas A&M, the Kansas Jayhawks (8-0) are the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week for games of the weekend of Oct. 27.

Brandon McAnderson rushed for 183 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries as Kansas forged a 19-0 lead after a scoreless first half.

The eight straight wins gives Kansas its best record after eight games since the 1909 team was 8-0. The winning streak is also KU's longest since a 9-game streak in the 1951-52 seasons.

"It's been extremely exciting," Kansas quarterback Todd Reesing said. "We're thrilled to be where we're at right now."

Other Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Bowl National Team of the Week nominees for the weekend of Oct. 27 included:

· Connecticut (7-1): Andre Dixon ran for a career-high 176 yards and the Huskies defeated a ranked team for the first time in school history with a 22-15 decision over South Florida.

· Mississippi State (5-4): Anthony Dixon scored two touchdowns as the Bulldogs upset Kentucky, 31-14, in Lexington.

The FWAA has named a national team of the week since the 2002 season. This is the third season that the award has been sponsored by the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.

Vanderbilt is Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week

DALLAS (FWAA) - With their 17-6 win at South Carolina, the Vanderbilt Commodores (4-3) are the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week for games of the weekend of Oct. 20.

Mackenzi Adams threw two touchdown passes and D.J. Moore intercepted two passes for a Vandy defense that held South Carolina to 195 total yards.

The win marked Vanderbilt's first win over a team ranked as high as No. 6 since a 7-6 win over LSU in 1937.

I'm proud of the effort of our team." Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson said. "They played extremely hard and tried to execute the game plan while they were out there. We didn't always do it, but the majority of the time we played extremely well. I thought we played extremely aggressive on defense."

Other Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Bowl National Team of the Week nominees for the weekend of Oct. 20 included:

· Kansas (7-0): The Jayhawks moved to 7-0 for just the second time since 1968 with a 19-14 win at Colorado, their first win in Boulder since 1995.

· Rutgers (5-2): Ray Rice ran for 181 yards and the Scarlet Knights handed South Florida its first loss of the season, 30-27.

· Temple (3-5): The Owls won their third straight game for the first time since 1990 with a 24- 17 triumph over Miami (Ohio).

The FWAA has named a national team of the week since the 2002 season. This is the third season that the award has been sponsored by the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.

Select members of the FWAA board of directors decide the weekly honor. Each Monday during the 2007 college football season, the FWAA will name the Tostitos Bowl National Team of the Week through Nov. 26.