The Governer’s Cup will stay in Manhattan for another year. Saturday’s 64-0 humiliation now stands as the most points scored by Kansas State in the history of the Sunflower showdown. KSU’s stats through just three quarters would make for an outstanding day for any team: 20 first downs, 446 total yards on 68 plays and a possession time of 29:35.
On one play, Kansas State’s third-string quarterback nearly gained more yards than the entire Kansas Jayhawk team. Jeff Schwinn, in with KSU up by a comfortable 64 points, scampered for 42 yards deep into Kansas Territory. At the time, that was more than double the 18 yards KU had gained on the day. That drive stalled, and KU was able to mount their only decent drive of the day, but fell short just as those that came before it. At least they were able to outgain Schwinn.
Previously, Wildcat quarterback Ell Roberson rushed for three touchdowns for the first time in his career.
At the end of the first half, Kansas has rung up a total of just 14 yards and two first downs. Kansas State has 313 total yards and all the momentum. KU has given up 43 points in one half, the most since Nebraska racked up 49 back in 1988. To open the second half, Brian Luke was picked off on KU’s first play. K-State then needed just two plays – and a 15-yard penalty on the Kansas bench – to score another touchdown.
The Brian Luke era fared no better than that of Jonas Weatherbie. After guiding Kansas to its first first-down of the game, Luke had trouble finding his receivers, and also fumbled the ball away, giving Kansas State yet another short field scoring opportunity. The Wildcats missed a field goal on that drive, but punched through a touchdown on their next possession to stretch their lead to 43 points.
Absolutely nothing went right for Kansas. Greg Heaggans ran back one of the many K-State kickoffs for 58 yards to the KSU 30, but two plays later Jonas Weatherbie dropped the snap. Wildcat Henry Bryant pounced on it, and the ensuing drive resulted in another K-State touchdown. A few plays into KU’s next drive and Weatherbie turned the ball over again, this time through the air. All this was in the first quarter.
KU’s woes continued in the second half: KU’s first play was an interception. In their second possession, a Clark Green fumble was scooped up by KSU’s Rashad Washington. Two after that and the lead was up to 57 points.
Once again, Kansas has let an opponent jump out to an early lead. After the Jayhawk defensive unit held Kansas State to just one first down before forcing a punt, KU’s first offensive play resulted in Clark Green being tackled in the end zone for a safety. The Wildcats then only needed 60 seconds to score the first touchdown of the game.
A muffed KU punt set up K-State for their second quick score in just over nine minutes gone in the first. A KU three-and-out and big punt run back later, and KSU had yet another short field. K-State had been scoring at a pace of two points a minute.
Weatherbie completed only one fewer pass to the Wildcats than he did to his own team, connecting on two of nine, with one interception. Derick Mills and Brandon Rideau caught those two passes, but each was tackled for no gain.
An early controversy: when Kansas State downed that first punt, the player who caught the ball appeared to have his foot on the goal line, which means that Kansas should have had the ball on their own 20.
Up next for the Jayhawks is a trip to Lincoln to face Nebraska.
Watch the replay tonight on Sunflower Cable channel 6 at 11 p.m.
For full coverage of today’s game, read tomorrow’s Lawrence Journal-World, and see KUSports.com.
