Honest question about this year's ku vs. KSU game

[Pete]

So, my question is whose schedule gives them the advantage this year in the "Sunflower Showdown" (gayest name ever)?

How similar or dissimilar will the game from last year be to the game from this year?

Once again this year, KSU gets ku after a ku bye week....Last year, ku was clearly prepared, and we were seemingly still basking in the glory of an upset win.

We were also pretty dinged up last year in the ku game...and I'd have to believe that they were healthier.

I am optimistic about the level of preparation our guys had leading up to the first game....I happen to believe the notion that a road game at Auburn had our attention.  I also believe that SJSU has our attention (despite getting throttled by ASU last week) because they were a "bowl team" last year (Alla Central Michigan), and obviously Texas will....

So assuming we don't get dinged up (big assumption), is it reasonable to suggest that our schedule will have us better prepared?  Or, is it more reasonable that ku's schedule will have them brimming with confidence and ready to play?

Thoughts?

[WildCatzPhreak]

Depends if we come out of Texas healthy.

If we do, I think our schedule prepares us better, if that's your question.

ku's schedule gives them confidence, but doesn't prepare them for what it's like to play on the road or what it's like to play a quality team.

[doom]

Depends if we come out of Texas healthy.

If we do, I think our schedule prepares us better, if that's your question.

ku's schedule gives them confidence, but doesn't prepare them for what it's like to play on the road or what it's like to play a quality team.

You're forgetting Central Michigan.

[shaft3500]

i think ku's schedule definetly gives them a little advantage. even though they will not have played the quality of opponents, they have two weeks to make sure they are healthy and prepared. the cats will be coming off another emotional texas game (either emotional win or a$$ poundings are usually emotional) and be banged up a bit i'm sure.

i'd say advantage hawks.

[catzacker]

It really all depends on the players (which is a captain obvious comment).  Playing USC in 2002 didn't get us prepared to play CU or UT.  Playing Louisville last year didn't get us prepared to play Baylor or ku.  I don't think there's any correlation, nor any quantifiable stat linking "good" OOC opponents to future conference success. Generally, you're either good or you aren't.  KSU doesn't have better athletes than ku at every single position like it did in 2003 and for nearly 8 years preceeding that; our talent levels are somewhat level.  ku will be coming off a bye week, will have played 4 patsies and gotten a chance to not only gain confidence but build some depth through game experience.  We, on the other hand, put our bye week ahead of our rival Texas and will probably be putting more into that game.  I didn't like that game the moment ku got the bye week (by moving the MU game I think). 

[WildCatzPhreak]

I don't think there's any correlation, nor any quantifiable stat linking "good" OOC opponents to future conference success.

Gary Barnett disagrees. 

[pissclams]

ku, road game, 'nuff said.

[catzacker]

I don't think there's any correlation, nor any quantifiable stat linking "good" OOC opponents to future conference success.

Gary Barnett disagrees. 

I'm hoping that's sarcastic.  When Barnett had good teams, guess what...he won, when he didn't guess what he lost.  The schedule didn't make his teams any "tougher" or better prepared.  

[WildCatzPhreak]

I don't think there's any correlation, nor any quantifiable stat linking "good" OOC opponents to future conference success.

Gary Barnett disagrees. 

I'm hoping that's sarcastic.  When Barnett had good teams, guess what...he won, when he didn't guess what he lost.  The schedule didn't make his teams any "tougher" or better prepared. 

Not true.  Barnett's last two teams were pretty bad, but somehow won the north anyways.

[Skycat]

I don't think there's any correlation, nor any quantifiable stat linking "good" OOC opponents to future conference success.

Gary Barnett disagrees. 

I'm hoping that's sarcastic.  When Barnett had good teams, guess what...he won, when he didn't guess what he lost.  The schedule didn't make his teams any "tougher" or better prepared. 

Not true.  Barnett's last two teams were pretty bad, but somehow won the north anyways.

That says more about the North in those years than it does about Barnett's scheduling philosophy.

[Pete]

I don't think there's any correlation, nor any quantifiable stat linking "good" OOC opponents to future conference success.

Gary Barnett disagrees. 

I'm hoping that's sarcastic.  When Barnett had good teams, guess what...he won, when he didn't guess what he lost.  The schedule didn't make his teams any "tougher" or better prepared. 

Not true.  Barnett's last two teams were pretty bad, but somehow won the north anyways.

That says more about the North in those years than it does about Barnett's scheduling philosophy.

Agree completely.

I agree with Catzacker as well...I see ZERO correlation between a tough non-con a conference success.  For every Barnett example, you have a Snyder example to contradict it.  Either you are good, or you are not.

[NorthChamps07]

Last year we had played 11 straight so their siesta had an impact on the game.  They were rested we weren't.  Still it took the worst game of JF's career and a worn down defense to give them the win.  No way Cornish would hang 200 yards on this D. And JF will not hand them the ball this year, not once! 

So I think the fact that we have a bye week and a road game to be a little more sharp than the sqawks after they have eaten a bunch a of cupcakes and sat around for a week.  They'll be pounded about as bad as SJSU will be this week.  Mob Rules! Believe it!  

[Cool Ethan]

Last year we had played 11 straight so their siesta had an impact on the game.  They were rested we weren't.  Still it took the worst game of JF's career and a worn down defense to give them the win.  No way Cornish would hang 200 yards on this D. And JF will not hand them the ball this year, not once!

From what I've seen JF never ever "hands" the ball to the other team. He prefers to throw it to them or sometimes he likes to set it down on the ground and let them pick it up. SIGH. I wish Prince would recruit a decent QB so I could  all over everyone's face.

[Sandman]

The only advantage I can see as far as the schedule goes is that ku has on off week before the game.

[Pittcat]

The only advantage I can see as far as the schedule goes is that ku has on off week before the game.

Tunnel vision


 

[KSUTOMMY]

I think that health is the issue here. Had we been 100% healthy last year in Larry Town, hell - if we had Yamon I think things would have been different. Lets remember ku was playing for a bowl game (we know how that turned out) and we were already bowl eligible. I believe that expereince is also important, if you play against the cupcakes, you take a risk of not knowing what a good team can throw your way. It always seemed to me that we did better after our first loss (during Snyder years) to serve as a piece of humble pie. I think that if we are healthy coming back from UT, we dominate.

[cireksu]

Cornish wouldn't have run roughshod had we not had our 2 starting safety's out.

[Pittcat]

So you're saying that injuries to a teams starting lineup helps another team beat said injury laden team?  Hmmm, makes sense.

[Cool Ethan]

So you're saying that injuries to a teams starting lineup helps another team beat said injury laden team?  Hmmm, makes sense.

Only pussies use injury as an excuse. You don't want everyone to think you're giant pussy, do you?

[cireksu]

are you kidding?  so marshall was a better team than us in 2003 because they beat us, even though we won the big 12?   Are you saying marshall was the best team in the big 12 that year?

[Cool Ethan]

are you kidding?  so marshall was a better team than us in 2003 because they beat us, even though we won the big 12?   Are you saying marshall was the best team in the big 12 that year?

I don't have any idea what you're talking about but do I know one thing for sure.


You are a giant pussy. I mean, like, ginormous. If you ever decided to douche yourself the box of Massengill needed would be like 75 stories high.

[Pete]

are you kidding?  so marshall was a better team than us in 2003 because they beat us, even though we won the big 12?   Are you saying marshall was the best team in the big 12 that year?

Wait, that argument cuts both ways....

Colt McCoy's departure from the UT game last year didn't impact the game? 

[cireksu]

are you kidding?  so marshall was a better team than us in 2003 because they beat us, even though we won the big 12?   Are you saying marshall was the best team in the big 12 that year?

Wait, that argument cuts both ways....

Colt McCoy's departure from the UT game last year didn't impact the game? 

I don't think so bc they still scored 42 points, their offense did not lose that game their D did.

[hillwalking03]

are you kidding?  so marshall was a better team than us in 2003 because they beat us, even though we won the big 12?   Are you saying marshall was the best team in the big 12 that year?

Wait, that argument cuts both ways....

Colt McCoy's departure from the UT game last year didn't impact the game? 

Right, the injury to McCoy had nothing to do with you winning a tight game,  just like ku's injuries had no impact on the game.  Only K-State players being injured impact a game. 

[cireksu]

42 points is 42 points, well above their season avg, I would guess.  Had 03 ksu put up 300 yds rushing and 42 points with jeff schwinn at the helm against marshall and we would have lost, I wouldn't have said, damn if only we'd had roberson in.

[Legore]

are you kidding?  so marshall was a better team than us in 2003 because they beat us, even though we won the big 12?   Are you saying marshall was the best team in the big 12 that year?

Wait, that argument cuts both ways....

Colt McCoy's departure from the UT game last year didn't impact the game? 

No question it impacted the game but we did knock him out of the game rather then having him hurt going into it.  So you have to give KSU some credit for that, one of a defenses goals even if they don't admit it is to knock the other teams QB out of the game.  

As to the main point the schedule sets up better for ku having the bye week before and us coming off the game at Texas.  That said we've got a bye week before Texas so we'll  be pretty fresh and have no excuses.  Last year for the ku game we were playing our 12th game in 12 weeks and they were coming off a bye.  At that point in the season the bye is a much bigger advantage from a freshness and health standpoint.   Also there isn't as much game tape to look at so I think 1 week is ample time to prepare and look at 4 games of tape.  

I don't see the jump up in competition as a disadvantage for ku they've played big 12 teams before.  The one thing that could be a factor is it will be Reesing's first start away from home which is often tough on a young QB.

[cireksu]

for the record, I think they'll beat us in manhattan, it has to happen sooner or later and this is probably the best team they've had since 03.