When Kansas University’s football team played at the University of Tulsa two years ago, KU’s 43-33 victory drew 17,893 fans to 40,385-seat Skelly Stadium.
It was the second — and final — victory of the year for the Jayhawks and first-year coach Mark Mangino, while the Golden Hurricane was in the midst of its second consecutive one-win season.
Much more will be at stake when the teams meet again at 6 p.m. Saturday in the season opener at KU’s Memorial Stadium.
“There are comparisons you could draw with the success we had last year and the success the Jayhawks had,” second-year Tulsa coach Steve Kragthorpe said Monday. “It’s probably going to be a pretty good storyline, particularly with the teams opening the season against each other.”
Kragthorpe, a former Texas A&M offensive coordinator, revived a program that had won only two games in the previous two seasons combined. The Golden Hurricane went 6-2 to finish second in the Western Athletic Conference last season, posting an 8-5 overall record and earning its first bowl appearance in 12 years.
Tulsa returns 16 starters including standout quarterback James Kilian, who passed for 2,217 yards and 22 touchdowns last year and was Tulsa’s second-leading rusher with 605 yards and seven touchdowns.
“They’re a good football team,” Mangino said Monday during the Big 12 teleconference. “Steve Kragthorpe has done a great job there in one year. They’re confident. They’re feeling good about themselves.”
Kragthorpe had equally nice things to say about Mangino, who led KU to its first bowl berth since 1995 in his second season in Lawrence.
“It’s going to be a great challenge for us to go on the road and play a Big 12 opponent in a hostile environment,” Kragthorpe said. “Coach Mangino has done just a tremendous job of bringing that program back to a tremendous amount of respectability and a team that I think that is really going to open some eyes in the Big 12 North this year.”
What might have looked like a sure victory to fans from both schools when the game was scheduled a few years ago now looms as much more difficult season opener than Mangino would have bargained for.
“The Tulsa game was scheduled way before I got here, and so was Northwestern,” said Mangino, whose team will travel to Evanston, Ill., to face the Wildcats on Sept.18. “In line with my thinking, you’d prefer not to play another major conference, but (still) a Division One team in a nonconference game. I didn’t have any control over that at all.
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“I think they’re a good football team. I think they can play with anybody. We certainly aren’t taking anything for granted. Our preparation has been extremely intense, and our players are focused on Tulsa and Tulsa only.”
Kragthorpe, the son of former Oregon State coach Dave Kragthorpe, said playing a quality opponent in the season opener could be beneficial.
“There’s not much time to get up to speed,” said Kragthorpe, who was the Buffalo Bills quarterbacks coach before returning to the college ranks. “There’s no preseason games like in the NFL. You better be ready to play week one. I think that does give you a great focus and a great attention-getter for your team in training camp.”
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Pick a punter: Mangino said he hoped to make a decision after Monday’s practice whether to go with senior Chris Tyrrell or freshman Kyle Tucker at punter.
“Chris Tyrrell has really elevated his play,” said Mangino, who must replace departed senior Curtis Ansel. “Kyle Tucker is really special for a freshman. He’s an extremely talented young man and an excellent athlete, too.”
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Reminder to tail-gaters: University policy prohibits consumption of alcoholic beverages in tail-gating areas until three hours before the 6 p.m. kickoff.
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TV replay slate: The replays of Kansas University’s home football games will be shown at 10 a.m. Sunday mornings instead of Saturday nights this season. The new schedule starts with Saturday’s KU-Tulsa game.
