This year’s Border War has added significance

By David Mitchell     Sep 22, 2003

It has been a long time since a football game between Kansas University and Missouri meant this much.

When KU (3-1) plays host to No. 23 MU (4-0) Saturday at Memorial Stadium, it will be the first time both teams enter the Border War with a winning record since 1997.

During that second season of the Big 12 Conference, the game was played uncharacteristically early, Sept. 13. KU was 2-0 on its way to a 5-6 finish under first-year coach Terry Allen. Mizzou was 1-0 on its way to a 7-5 finish and a berth in the Holiday Bowl under coach Larry Smith.

KU won 15-7 at Memorial Stadium in front of a modest crowd of 38,000.

The Border War traditionally was the last game of the season in the old Big Eight Conference, and there often was little at stake other than pride. Prior to 1997, the last time the rivals met as winners was in 1981 when both teams were 7-3 entering the finale.

KU won 19-11 in front of 47,500 fans in a game that had bowl implications for both teams.

Kansas coach Mark Mangino would like to see that kind of excitement surround the nation’s second-oldest rivalry — and the oldest west of the Mississippi — every year.

“We have to do a good job to make sure we have a good record and a solid ballclub going into this game to catch the attention of more people,” Mangino said Sunday, a day after his team posted its third straight victory with a 41-6 win over Jacksonville State.

The Border War will feature a matchup of two of the Big 12’s top quarterbacks. KU senior Bill Whittemore leads the league with 1,098 yards passing and ranks second in total offense with an average of 325.3 yards.

Missouri sophomore Brad Smith also is a threat on the ground and in the air. In Saturday’s 41-40 overtime victory against Middle Tennessee State, Smith rushed for 136 yards and a touchdown and passed for 192 yards and three scores.

“I think there’s a lot of similarities in the quarterbacks,” Mangino said. “I think they’re both big-play guys. They both have great leadership qualities. Their quarterback will make plays, and our quarterback will make plays. It will be the rest of the supporting cast on the team that will make the difference.”

Whittemore suffered an undisclosed injury Saturday night, but Mangino said the senior would play against MIzzou.

“We’ll rest him Monday, and then he’ll be good to go,” Mangino said.

Saturday’s winner will break a 51-51-9 tie in a series that dates back to 1891.

Kickoff is 11:40 a.m. with a live broadcast on Fox Sports Net (Sunflower Broadband Channel 51).

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Simmons sizzling: Sophomore Mark Simmons has 11 catches for 343 receiving yards and four touchdowns. That’s 35 more yards than he had last year on 12 fewer catches. Simmons’ TDs have come from 74, 39, 70 and 65 yards out — one in each game.

“Our quarterback seems to find me,” said Simmons, who ranks fourth in the Big 12 in receiving yards per game, one spot ahead of teammate Charles Gordon. “Our offense is looking pretty nice. I can’t wait until next week to see how it holds up against the Big 12.”

KU’s offense ranks fourth in the nation with an average of 499.75 yards per game. Only Akron, Texas Tech and Bowling Green rank higher than Kansas.

Saturday’s game could be a shootout. Missouri ranks ninth in the Big 12 in total defense; KU ranks 10th.

Whittemore passed for 1,666 yards and 11 touchdowns in nine games last season. Through four games this year, the senior has passed for 1,098 yards and 10 touchdowns. He likely will challenge the KU single-season record of 15 passing TDs set by David Jaynes in 1972 and matched by Mike Norseth in 1985. Counting backup Brian Luke’s TD pass in the fourth quarter Saturday, KU has 11 this season. The Jayhawks had 13 in 2002.

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Lamb hurting: Red-shirt freshman safety Jonathan Lamb started against JSU but saw limited duty because of an undisclosed injury.

“We’re going to rest him a couple of days,” Mangino said. “He’s a smart enough kid to keep up. Our medical staff feels like he’ll be ready to go.”

Lamb’s absence allowed sophomore backup Rodney Fowler to see significant playing time for the first time this season.

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Lining up: Red-shirt freshman Travis Dambach started in place of junior right guard Tony Coker, who sat out with an undisclosed injury.

“Travis did a pretty good job of fitting into the offense,” Mangino said Saturday night. “It was a good experience for him. I think he learned a lot.”

Sophomore Justin Henry replaced Coker as KU’s long snapper, making it appear likely that freshman Zack Hood — who is listed as the backup long snapper on the Jayhawks’ depth chart — will take a red-shirt season.

Mangino said Coker was expected to play against Missouri.

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