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Kansas St.-Kansas Preview
Kansas State Wildcats at Kansas Jayhawks
- This is the 109th meeting between these schools, a rivalry billed as the Sunflower Showdown. The Wildcats are 15-4 versus their in-state rival under Bill Snyder, including winning 14 of the last 15. Last season, they beat Kansas 59-7, the biggest margin of victory by either team in this series since a 64-0 Kansas State win in 2002.
- Kansas State is looking to start 7-0 overall and 4-0 in Big 12 play for the first time since the 1999 season.
- Collin Klein (96.3) and John Hubert (90.8) are the only set of teammates in the Big 12 to average at least 90 rush yards per game this season. Klein's 96.3 average is third among FBS quarterbacks. With 110 rush yards last week against Texas Tech, Klein became the third QB in school history to surpass 1,000 yards in his career (Eli Roberson, Michael Bishop).
- Kansas has given up 42 or more points in five straight games. The Jayhawks rank dead last in scoring defense (49.0) and total defense (565.0), while ranking next-to-last in pass defense (337.8). During its current four-game losing skid, Kansas had been leading or within 10 points at halftime in three of the four games (the exception being versus Oklahoma State, when trailed 56-7 at the half). But the Jayhawks were outscored 83-14 in the second half of those three contests (in contrast, they outscored Oklahoma State 21-14 after halftime).
- Every team that Kansas has played so far this season has been undefeated at the time of facing the Jayhawks.
- JaCorey Shepherd's 20.5 receiving average is second in the Big 12 (min. 10 receptions). All three of the true freshman's touchdown catches this season have gone for at least 45 yards.
By ALAN FERGUSON
(AP) -- Kansas State had its highest-scoring game of the season last week and needed just about all of those points to pull out another close win and stay unbeaten.
The 12th-ranked Wildcats might have an easier time during a visit to beleaguered rival Kansas on Saturday.
Holding on for a 41-34 win at Texas Tech last weekend helped Kansas State (6-0, 3-0 Big 12) remain tied atop the conference with No. 3 Oklahoma and sixth-ranked Oklahoma State.
The Wildcats' offense didn't score until 4:55 remained in the second quarter, but quarterback Collin Klein finished with 110 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the ground, including a 2-yarder as time expired in the third that put his team ahead for good.
"(Coach Bill Snyder) says all the time you've just got to keep sawing wood and eventually you're going to get somewhere," Klein said. "It makes it exciting because we're hanging together. That's the most important thing."
Klein also threw for another score, but it was Nigel Malone's 24-yard interception return for a TD and Tyler Lockett's 100-yard kickoff return that kept Kansas State in the game early.
Defensive lineman Raphael Guidry also helped with a pair of blocked field goals, and the Wildcats set up their final touchdown - Klein's 1-yard plunge - with the second of three interceptions.
The Wildcats moved a step closer toward their first 7-0 start since winning nine in a row to begin the 1999 season.
"We're a tough football team and we have a long way to go," linebacker Tre Walker said. "We're going to fight and fight to the end. No matter what the outcome is; we don't even look at the scoreboard."
The victory was Kansas State's fourth in a row by seven points or fewer, but it would appear the Wildcats would have a chance to end that streak in the Sunflower Showdown.
Kansas (2-4, 0-3) ranks near the bottom in the FBS in every major defensive category and is last with 49.0 points and 565.0 yards allowed per game. During their four straight defeats, the Jayhawks have given up an average of 627.0 yards while being outscored 228-103.
They yielded 610 yards in a 47-17 loss to Oklahoma last week and their offense also had a miserable second half. Kansas gained six yards over the final 30 minutes and recorded one first down.
A chance to play their rivals, however, has coach Turner Gill hoping for a better performance from his Jayhawks, who will face their third straight ranked opponent.
"It's the Sunflower Showdown," Gill said. "We're ready for this one. It's one of those things that gets me excited. ... I think it's going to be a great game for us."
Kansas lost 59-7 when the Wildcats visited Lawrence last season, its most lopsided defeat since falling 66-14 at Texas in 2005. After relieving Carson Coffman, Klein scored Kansas State's final points with a 51-yard run.
Kansas running back James Sims, who has a team-best 455 yards and six TDs, had 23 yards on 10 carries during that loss. Jordan Webb finished with 228 yards and an interception.
The Jayhawks have lost two straight to Kansas State after winning four of the previous five matchups.
Kansas leads the series 65-38-5 - going 37-16-2 at home - and pulled off a 30-24 upset in Manhattan, Kan., the last time it faced a ranked Wildcats team in 2007.
Snyder is 14-1 in his last 15 matchups with Kansas.
Updated October 18, 2011
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