Who’d have thought Kansas State would still be looking for its first conference win when the Jayhawks came to town?
With the Wildcats 0-fer in the Big 12, any victory would do their morale wonders. Even a Journal-World Sony PlayStation 2 NCAA Football 2002 Challenge victory would be huge.
Leading up to every Kansas University football game, the Journal-World will hold an PlayStation 2 NCAA Football 2002 Challenge, pairing a representative from KU with the Jayhawks’ opponent. If you are a KU alumnus or a graduate of a school that is playing the Jayhawks in football this season, and you are interested in challenging an opponent at NCAA Football 2002, please contact Andrew Hartsock at 832-7216 or e-mail ahartsock@ljworld.com.
That’s why Matt Dunn, Lawrence resident and Kansas State football fan, started well before kick off with a little psychological warfare on his roommate.
Jeff Heiman, third-year Kansas University law school student, has heard nothing but trash talk from Dunn for the past week about how he was going to be crushed in the video game football match.
“It’s not working. He can say whatever he wants to, the ‘Hawks are pumped up for this game,” Heiman said. “He’s just as fair-weather as all the other K-State fans. Once the Jayhawks beat them on their own turf, the Wildcats are going to be looking at one empty bandwagon.”
It should be noted that so far this season, the winner of the PlayStation game has been the loser of the real game. This week, it was once again the Jayhawks who walked away victorious on the video game TV screen, winning by one point 31-30 in triple overtime.
With two teams that have a combined one victory in conference play, this game started off appropriately ugly. With KU’s first possession, Kansas quarterback Zach Dyer was sacked in his own endzone for a safety.
Besides a Kansas field goal late in the second quarter, that would be all the scoring the first half would see. Both teams retreated to the locker room with Kansas leading, 3-2, at half.
“I didn’t realize that we were such defensive masterminds,” Dunn said, covering for the two inept offenses.
“I thought we were playing football, but this looks more like a baseball score,” Heiman replied.
With the second half, a frustrated Dunn benched quarterback Ell Roberson and inserted backup QB Marc Dunn into his starting lineup.
“You know if his name is Dunn, he must have some mad skills,” Dunn proclaimed.
Dunn’s first pass was overthrown. His second pass was an interception. Roberson was quickly removed from the bench and re-inserted.
“That indecision isn’t going to help Roberson’s confidence,” Heiman scolded.
Then things got crazy.
After a broken play, Josh Scobey ran for a 32-yard touchdown. K-State went for two, and the score was 10-3, Kansas State, with three minutes left in the third quarter.
With less then a minute left, Dyer connected with tight end David Hurst to tie the score at 10. Time expired before K-State could respond, and the fans in Manhattan were treated to some overtime drama.
On Kansas’ first series, Dyer made a perfect pass to wide receiver Termaine Fulton. Reggie Duncan finished the play with a three-yard TD run.
K-State, with its back to the wall, showed the Wildcat fans they have reason to stay faithful. In just one play, Roberson hit wide receiver Derrick Evans for a TD pass.
Kansas State struck first in double overtime. Roberson ran for 15 yards before he threw a daring pitch to Scobey for another TD. The score was 24-17, and now the pressure was on Heiman and his Jayhawks.
Dyer chose the right time to get hot and connected with Roger Ross on a passing play that got the Jayhawks to the one-yard line. Once again, Duncan played clean-up and ran the yard to put the game into triple overtime.
The Kansas offense took first possession in triple OT. This time, the Dyer/Ross connection made sure nothing was left to chance, and the Jayhawks quickly scored on a 20-yard pass.
With the score 31-24, Kansas, the purple-clad K-State crowd grew morbidly silent.
K-State, determined to get that Big 12 conference victory, ran a sweep and put Scobey safely into the end zone. With the score 31-30, Dunn opted to go for the two-point conversion and the dramatic win.
Roberson dropped back, spotted a receiver and fired into the end zone.
But at the last moment, Andrew Davison broke up the pass. Finally, Kansas beat K-State on the football field. The Wildcats still were looking for their first conference victory, and Dunn sat quietly, wondering if K-State would ever shake its funk.
“That was a bad play call. I shouldn’t have gone for it,” Dunn admitted. “But it was already 12:45 a.m., and we all have to go to work and school tomorrow but I wish I could get that one back.”