News and Notes: KU - Texas

News and notes while wondering how attractive a 6-6 Kansas team that’s lost five of their last six would be to bowl committees. Then again, as top-heavy as the Big 12 is, with six wins, it probably won’t matter.

•    The 6-4 Jayhawks (3-3 Big 12) will host #4 AP/#5 Coaches Texas (9-1, 5-1) in the last home game of the 2008 season. FSN will show it, and it kicks off at 11:30 a.m.
•    Saturday will mark the fourth game Kansas has played a ranked team this season. It’ll be the third against a top 10-ranked opponent. Welcome to life in the Big 12.
•    18 KU seniors will take the turf for the last time this Saturday.  I hope a great crowd turns out to send off DE Richard Alspaugh, S Tang Bacheyie, DE Russell Brorsen, WR Micah Brown, WR Raymond Brown, C Ryan Cantrell, OT Matt Darton, WR Dexton Fields, WR Gary Green, CB Kendrick Harper, OG Chet Hartley, WR Marcus Herford, LB James Holt, DE John Larson, OG Adrian Mayes, LB Joe Mortensen, S Patrick Resby and LB Mike Rivera.
•    This group of seniors has been a huge part of some of KU football’s biggest moments. They are a combined 31-16 with two games left, a record second only to the 1896-99 class (32-6).  They picked up six wins in four straight seasons for the first time since 1903-1906. These Jayhawks posted two undefeated seasons at home (2005 and 2007) and a 23-3 home mark overall. They played in Kansas’ first January bowl since 1969. Finally, they were part of a school-record 19 straight weeks in the AP poll.
•    Big Jay and Bevo will be squaring off for just the ninth time, with Texas holding a 6-2 advantage, 3-2 in Lawrence. Texas has won six in a row against the Jayhawks.
•    Dollar signs. That’s right: B…C…S.
•     No current Jayhawks played in the game the last time Texas came to Lawrence.
•    28 Jayhawks hail from Texas, including starters WR Dezmon Briscoe, C Ryan Cantrell, WR Dexton Fields, OT Jeremiah Hatch, CB Daymond Patterson, QB Todd Reesing and WR Johnathan Wilson.
•    QB Todd Reesing is KU’s all-time career passing leader. His 28-yard TD pass to WR Kerry Meier broke Frank Seurer’s old mark. He has set 32 school passing records in just 26 games. For his career, he ranks in the NCAA top 20 in 10different categories, including total offense per game (6th, 274.5 yards), passing yards per game (7th, 255.1) and passing efficiency (10th, 149.79).
•    After a slow start, Jake Sharp has quietly put together a really good year with 737 yards rushing and 251 receiving yards. He’s the first Jayhawk RB since Clark Green to rush for 700 yards and catch for 250 more (968 and 464 in 2003).
•    WR Dez Briscoe now holds the KU single-season record for TD passes (11) as well as the career mark. Did I mention Briscoe’s a sophomore? His 269 yards receiving against Oklahoma is the best single-game receiving performance in the country this season.
•    WR Kerry Meier has 69 catches this season – just one shy of Richard Estell’s school record (1985). Forty-four of those catches have been for first downs, and 14 of them came on third or fourth down.
•    LB James Holt is finishing his career on a roll. He leads the nation in fumbles forced with .6 per game (six fumbles in 10 games). He’s recorded 10 tackles in four games this season and made nine last week at Nebraska.
•    Kansas is 10th in the nation in third down efficiency, converting on 49.6 percent.
•    The Jayhawks are averaging 299.5 yards passing per game – on pace to break the school record of 291.0, set just last season.
•    KU’s defense has forced eight turnovers in the last two games. They had eight in the previous six games combined. They’ve also collected eight sacks in the last three games combined.