It’s probably hard to imagine a Kansas University football player born and bred in Texas being able to fully appreciate the magnitude of the KU-Kansas State rivalry.
Actually, KU junior offensive guard Kyle Grady seems to have a pretty good grasp of the subject.
“I hate K-State worse than I hate Missouri,” Grady said. “Being from Texas, I’m used to in-state rivalries more than out-of-state rivalries, Texas-Texas A&M and things like that. I think it means more to me to beat K-State than anybody this year.”
Kickoff for the annual Sunflower State Showdown is 2:30 p.m. Saturday at KSU Stadium.
It’s pretty easy to understand how KU senior wide receiver Termaine Fulton, who’s from Topeka, or junior defensive back Matt Jordan, of Junction City, could have a strong disliking of the Wildcats.
But why would someone from Mesquite, located just east of Dallas, have such a hatred for KSU?
“I don’t know. It’s just a thing,” Grady said. “You come up here and you just kind of feel the energy. It’s something that grows. I have friends that play at Colorado and some other teams in the Big 12 and they hate K-State as much as we do. You’d be surprised how much other teams hate K-State. I think it’s just a natural thing.
“Growing up in Texas, you either hate Texas or you hate A&M. I think you come up here and it’s the same thing. You go to one school and you hate the other. It’s just kind of a natural progression, I guess.”
Of course, the rivalry has been one-sided for the past decade. The Jayhawks haven’t claimed the Governor’s Cup remember that? since a 31-7 home victory in 1992. Their last victory in the Little Apple came in 1989.
Under coach Terry Allen, Kansas has been drubbed in the last four meetings by scores of 48-16, 54-6, 50-9, 52-13.
“I really don’t know how frustrating it is because I’ve never lost over there and I’m not planning on going over there to lose,” KU junior linebacker Leo Etienne said. “I’m pretty sure that it’s a real intense rivalry.”
Etienne, who’s from Winter Haven, Fla., followed the KU-KSU game for the past two seasons while at Hutchinson Community College.
This year’s game will have some personal meaning for him, though, as it will be the first time Etienne plays against former teammate Allen “Tank” Reese, now a KSU junior defensive tackle.
“I’ve got a good friend from home playing over there,” Etienne said. “That right there, plus the rivalry, that makes it even more special. I talked to him (Tuesday) night. He’s really looking forward to it. We’ve got a lot of family coming down.”
Etienne and Reese were teammates together at Auburndale High in Florida, and played on the same Blue Dragons’ defense the past two seasons.
“Since we were little, we were always on the same team,” Etienne said. “So it wasn’t too much trash talking, just the simple fact that we couldn’t believe we were on different teams, different sides of the ball. We both want to win.”
As for Grady, he just wants to play.
“It was hard enough for me sitting on the sideline last week,” Grady said of the Missouri game. “I couldn’t do it another week.”
Asked about KU’s health following practice Thursday, Allen’s answer was short but sweet for the Jayhawks.
“All go,” the Kansas coach said of Grady (knee), Etienne (dislocated shoulder), red-shirt freshman quarterback Mario Kinsey (turf toe), sophomore running back Reggie Duncan (ankle), junior punter Curtis Ansel (groin) and sophomore wide receiver Derick Mills (ankle).
Of the group, Mills has been the slowest healer, but still could play Saturday.
“I don’t know,” Allen said of Mills’ playing, “but I hope so.”
