What this means…from the press box
Ryan Wood, Journal-World KU football beat writer
“Kansas did what no one has done in a month – make Josh Freeman look like a freshman. The six takeaways were the key to a 19-point victory no one saw coming. It was an inspired, emotional effort, and don’t be surprised if it carries over to next week’s game.
With the defense seeming to be back on track, Kansas has a team competent enough to win out – Mizzou next week, and whatever bowl game could come of it.”
Tom Keegan, Journal-World sports editor
“It seems like years ago that this same football team was making a habit of becoming a springboard for opposing players to win Big 12 Offensive Player off the Year honors.
That was back when the line applied no pressure and the secondary routinely was torched. All that has changed, but one thing hasn’t – Jon Cornish remains the best healthy running back in the Big 12.”
Ryan Greene, KUSports.com editor
“Anthony Webb finally had good reason to bust out the jump shot celebration Aqib Talib has made a habit of executing after big plays.
You knew all year that if the Jayhawks had a complement to Talib on the other sideline, this defense could be dangerous. He had two picks, a pass breakup on a huge third down play in the first half and scored his first career touchdown. Granted, he was flagged 15 yards for celebrating, but heck, he can be forgiven this time.”
Inside the numbers
51,821: That was Saturday’s attendance – the largest ever at Memorial Stadium. It surpassed last year’s attendance for the Nebraska game by 71.
23: That’s how many games KU had gone until Saturday without allowing a 100-yard rusher. K-State’s Leon Patton finished with 102 yards on 14 carries, but while the Wildcats won that small battle, the Jayhawks won the war. Jon Cornish’s 201 yards were a huge part of the 247 ground yards KU compiled, outrushing K-State by 129.
1,331: That’s how many rushing yards Cornish now has for the season, which ranks as the third-highest single season total in KU history. He needs just 112 more to pass Tony Sands’ 1991 total of 1,442 for the all-time Jayhawk record.
Just in case you missed it…
Saturday’s game marked the fourth straight season in which KU fans have ended a major home win by tearing down both sets of goalposts and toting them to Potter Lake, which is located about 100 yards southwest of the stadium. And why not? The Jayhawks earned bowl eligibility for the third time in four years.
Hopefully you didn’t miss it…
Kansas now looks to have a completed secondary, with both redshirt freshman Darrell Stuckey and true freshman Anthony Webb coming up huge alongside sophomore Aqib Talib. Webb registered a pair of picks and his first career touchdown while Stuckey was in on several gang tackles and had a big tackle for loss in the first half. KU, who entered the game ranking last against the pass in the Big 12, finally looks to have a reliable second corner. It rightfully is Webb, who learned the hard way this season by taking a couple of torchings to get to where he is now.
Plenty of that also came from KU’s defensive front – namely junior James McClinton – getting pressure in the face of K-State’s fab freshman quarterback Josh Freeman, who threw three interceptions and added a fumble.
Yep, they really said it…
Aqib Talib on Anthony Webb’s breakout game: “Before the game he told me ‘Aqib, this is my breakout game.’…So we made jokes about it and I said ‘You’ve been telling me that for eight weeks straight.’ He finally had that breakout game. He’s ready now.”
Aqib Talib on the day as a whole: “One word…Ballin’!”
Anthony Webb on his pick-six which looked quite impromptu: “The play with the interception, we did that play in practice, so I could see it coming.”
Jon Cornish on his team being overlooked by Kansas State:”I think they thought after the texas game, they thought they could come in here and win. Probably based on that, their performance was lower.”
