KU football home schedule loaded with interesting challenges

By Staff     May 31, 2017

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Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) throws a forward pass as he is chased near the Kansas sideline during the second quarter Saturday, Oct. 31, 2015 at Memorial Stadium.

Kansas football fans not interested in buying season tickets for all seven home games can take advantage of the Pick 3 Flex Pack promotion starting Thursday.

After calling 800-34-HAWKS to reach the ticket office, you get to pick which three games you want to see and the cost is $180 for a Tier 1 ticket to three games and $150 for a Tier 2.

The easy decision involves the tier. Tier 1’s the way to go because it’s just an extra $10 each game for a better seat.

The much tougher call involves which three games to choose.

If you want to give yourself the two best chances to go home happy, you include the season-opener against Southeast Missouri State on Sept. 2. To give yourself a shot at keeping the feel-good vibe rolling, including Central Michigan, which comes to Lawrence the following week on Sept. 9, is a good play.

Then top it off with the game likely to draw the biggest crowd, the Sunflower Showdown, Oct. 28 vs. Kansas State. The energy in the stadium for the rivalry game should be better than most weeks and since last season’s game was more competitive than any in recent seasons, it’s not a stretch to believe Kansas can make a game of it.

If you would rather watch the best three opponents on KU’s home schedule, buy West Virginia (Sept. 23), K-State and Oklahoma (Nov. 18). The better the opponent, the more enjoyable the upset, should one occur.

One other reason to consider including West Virginia: Memorial Stadium will be a madhouse if somehow, some way Kansas takes a 3-0 record into the Big 12 opener after ending its road losing streak at 41 in Athens, Ohio against Ohio University.

Plus, the Mountaineers will feature Florida transfer Will Grier at quarterback running Jake Spavital’s offense. Spavital worked under West Virginia head coach Dana Holgorsen, then an OC, at Houston, Oklahoma State and West Virginia for a year before leaving to again work for Kevin Sumlin at Texas A&M where Spavital worked with Johnny Manziel.

The K-State game features an interesting battle up front. KU defensive end Dorance Armstrong is the Big 12’s top pass rusher and the Wildcats have the best pair of offensive tackles in the conference, if not the nation. Dalton Risner did as good a job of slowing down Armstrong as any blocker all year. Scott Frantz handled No. 1 overall NFL draft choice Myles Garrett as well as anybody had all season.

And Oklahoma enters 2017 as a legitimate national-title contender led by quarterback Baker Mayfield, a Heisman Trophy contender making his third visit to Lawrence. He played at Memorial Stadium for Texas Tech in 2013 and for Oklahoma in 2015.

If you would prefer to take in Big 12 games Kansas has a better a shot at winning, try either Texas Tech (Oct. 7) or Baylor (Nov. 4).

The Pick 3 Flex Pack is a good way to try to bring new KU football fans into the fold without making them buy every game. In promoting the opportunity, Kansas is using images of two players who wear the same jersey number. Armstrong and Alabama transfer wide receiver Daylon Charlot both wear No. 2 and are two of the most exciting players on a team subtly on the rise.

Which three home games would you attend if you could only pick three?

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