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No matter what the situation of both teams involved, the Sunflower Showdown always seems to have an effect on one or both teams.
Last season, it was former head coach Ron Prince’s job on the line. The year before, both teams were ranked and looking to take a lead in the Big 12 North race. In 2006, it was the Jayhawks’ bowl eligibility at stake.
Regardless of who has more to lose, the Jayhawks have owned the series during my time in college. Under Prince, the Wildcats always found a way to fall apart when facing the Jayhawks. The closest game during the Prince era was the one played in Manhattan in 2007, when Jordy Nelson matched up against Kansas cornerback Aqib Talib in a battle of future NFL players. However, no matter what, the Jayhawks came away with a victory.
Despite starting Big 12 Conference play with a 1-3 record and playing on the road, the Jayhawks are once again favored to win in the 107th installment of the Sunflower Showdown. However, head coach Bill Snyder has fared well against Kansas during his first tenure with the Wildcats. In his first 17 seasons, Snyder went 13-4 against the Jayhawks.
After a good showing against Oklahoma last Saturday, it’s hard to believe the Jayhawks are favored in this game. Yes, they played Texas Tech closer than we did. However, their recent troubles when it came to winning games are hard to ignore. The Jayhawks have not looked good during their three-game losing streak. Their most glaring weakness is their defense, which has given up an average of 37 points in the last three games.
The most intriguing part of this matchup is the poor run defense of the Jayhawks. Against Texas Tech, the Red Raider offense, known primarily for their proficient passing offense, blew the game open from a 21-all tie with the rushing attack of running back Baron Batch. He finished the game with 123 yards and four touchdowns.
If history is any indication, the Wildcats game plan will be to run the ball early and often, featuring running back Daniel Thomas. Controlling the line of scrimmage and wearing out the Kansas defense will be the key to victory. As usual, time of possession and taking care of the ball will be important, as will the play of defensive front four, putting pressure on Jayhawk quarterback Todd Reesing and forcing mistakes.
Odds are Kansas will be able to put together some big plays with Reesing and wide receiver Dezmon Bris coe downfield, as they have most of the season. The Wildcat offense will need to score some points on offense, something they were able to do against Oklahoma, which has a far superior defense when compared with Kansas.
Of course, there are no guarantees. This Big 12 North race is as unpredictable as it has been in a long time, and the offense that emerged in Norman, Okla., last week could have been a fluke. Time will tell, but if Snyder hopes to lead his team to a North title in his first year back, he will need to win this one.
-Grant Guggisberg is a senior in print journalism. Please send comments to sports.spub.ksu.edu.
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