October 7, 2007

Mo-Kan do!
With win over Wildcats, Jayhawks state their case

By J. BRADY McCOLLOUGH
The Kansas City Star

MANHATTAN, Kan. | The mystery behind the 2007 Kansas Jayhawks is gone. It evaporated into an overcast Kansas sky as the team wearing white jerseys hustled to the northwest corner of Bill Snyder Family Stadium.

It had been 18 years, but the winning team knew what to do. Run to the folks wearing crimson and blue. Jump into the stands with them. Savor this feeling.

On Saturday, Kansas officially revealed itself in a 30-24 victory over archrival Kansas State. So now we know. No more wondering whether the Jayhawks were just a product of their creampuff nonconference schedule. No more debating whether this team was all icing and no cake, just another crushing road heartbreak waiting to happen.

Mystery men no longer. These Jayhawks did something no Kansas team had done since 1989. They won in Manhattan.

“I told our players that this was the day,” KU coach Mark Mangino said. “The time was right. Our program, our players, they’re confident. This 2007 team feels like they can win anywhere.”

They’ll have more chances to prove that in Boulder, Colo.; in College Station, Texas; in Stillwater, Okla., all on a crash course to Arrowhead Stadium. Oh yes, don’t forget about Arrowhead. With Saturday’s triumph, the Jayhawks soared into the Big 12 North race, making their Nov. 24 date with Missouri in Kansas City loom even larger.

“This is a new team,” KU defensive end Russell Brorsen said. “We feel like we’re a different team than Kansas has had in a long time.”

Different Kansas team, same bitter result as last year for K-State. The Wildcats have now lost three of four to the Jayhawks and find their road rockier than it looked at 11 a.m. Saturday. Coming off a win over Texas, the Wildcats started hot, intercepting KU quarterback Todd Reesing on the first play of the game. Minutes later, K-State wide receiver Jordy Nelson beat KU cornerback Aqib Talib for a 68-yard touchdown.

Kansas had received the message: It was on.

“We’ve won our games by 50 points,” KU linebacker Joe Mortensen said. “It felt good knowing that we have a worthy opponent. We haven’t played behind all year.”

The Jayhawks’ win would be a tale of faith and redemption. KU, 5-0 overall, 1-0 in the Big 12, made many mistakes, but just about all of the players who made them got justice.

Reesing looked lost early, throwing for only 13 yards in the first quarter. He had thrown two first-half interceptions, but the Jayhawks only trailed 14-7 as the end of the first half approached. Reesing hit Talib for a touchdown and tied it at the half and finished with 267 yards and three touchdowns on 22-of-35 passing.

“As soon as a bad play happens,” Reesing said, “you gotta get rid of it. If you let it affect how you’re thinking, it’s going to affect your play.”

That was the message Reesing sent to receivers Dezmon Briscoe and Dexton Fields after their gaffes nearly cost the Jayhawks in the second half. Briscoe dropped what could have been a touchdown in the third quarter, but Reesing went back to him on a screen for a 28-yard touchdown. KU led 21-14.

With KU leading 21-17 in the fourth quarter, Fields could have lost the Jayhawks the game when a pass deflected off his helmet into the hands of K-State’s Chris Carney at the KU 16. K-State took the lead, but Fields would respond on KU’s next drive. Reesing hit Fields for 23 yards and then for a game-winning 30-yard touchdown.

“Redemption,” Fields said. “I had to come back and make a big play.”

Last in line was Talib, who had gotten burned by Nelson hours before. With K-State driving in the final 2 minutes down 30-24, Talib picked Freeman for the clincher.

“I made a play at the end,” Talib said. “(Nelson) made a play at the beginning. I’d rather make my play at the end.”

All of that led to the most raucous locker-room celebration Brorsen had ever seen.

“It was a party in there, the best party I’ve ever been to,” Mortensen said. “We had to calm down. We were getting kind of wild.”

Wild is right. The Jayhawks’ masks are off, and there’s no telling where they’re headed.

To reach J. Brady McCollough, send e-mail to jmccollough@kcstar.com

J. Brady McCollough - jbrady@coveringsports.com (email) - 816-868-2621 (cell)