Northern Colorado Postgame News and Notes

News and notes on KU’s 49-3 victory over Northern Colorado Saturday night at Memorial Stadium, while looking forward to the Jayhawks’ matchup at UTEP next Saturday. The Miners lost to Buffalo, 23-17, at home Saturday evening. This will be the first football meeting between KU and UTEP.

• It was a single-game record crowd of 52,530 at Memorial Stadium, surpassing by 300 the crowd of 52,230 that attended last season’s 52-21 victory over K-State. KU has now played in front of four-straight sellout crowds at home.
• KU has won six straight home openers, 18 consecutive non-conference home games, and 19 straight home games played at night.
• KU coach Mark Mangino earned his 46th victory at Kansas, one shy of tying Glen Mason for second place on the KU victory list.
• Six Jayhawks made their first career starts: LT Tanner Hawkinson, LG Brad Thorson, RG Sal Capra, DE Max Onyegbule, DT Patrick Dorsey and CB Anthony Davis... Onyegbule recorded three tackles, including 0.5 tackle for loss, while Davis posted four tackles (three solo). On the flip side, Davis was called for two consecutive pass interference calls late in the first quarter. Northern Colorado declined the first penalty since the Bears completed a 36-yard pass to KU’s 23-yard-line. UNC wound up missing a 25-yard field goal.
• Senior quarterback Todd Reesing rushed for two touchdowns, giving him 11 rushing TDs for his career. This was the first time in his career where Reesing recorded multiple rushing touchdowns in a game...His 79 rushing yards were the third most in a single game behind the 90 and 84 yards he recorded against Colorado in 2006 and 2007. Reesing’s 90 yards vs. Colorado on Oct. 28, 2006 came on his career debut...The Austin, Texas, native completed 13 of 20 passes for 208 yards and two touchdowns, with his longest pass a 71-yarder to Kerry Meier. He has now thrown a touchdown pass in 19 consecutive games...Reesing’s 13 completions passed Jason White of Oklahoma to rank No. 10 on the Big 12 career completions list with 632.
• Meier’s 71-yard reception to end the third quarter was the longest of his career. He led the team with five receptions for 115 yards. He’s now caught at least two passes in 22 consecutive games, and tied for third place on KU’s career 100-yard receiving game list (six).
• Senior Jake Sharp started the season on a high note with 122 rushing yards on 21 carries. Sharp also rushed for a TD. He moved into 11th place on the school’s career rushing yardage list. Sharp’s 122 yards were the third most of his career behind 181 vs. K-State in 2008 and 127 against Toledo in 2007. His 12 points also moved him into ninth place on the KU career points list with 144.
• Freshman running back Toben Opurum rushed for 79 yards on eight carries, while also recording two rushing TDs. Kerry Meier was the last true freshman to rush for two touchdowns in a game in 2006 against Northwestern State.
• Junior Tertavian Ingram started his third career game with style. He caught his first career touchdown pass in the second quarter. He finished with two receptions for 27 yards, one catch shy of his previous career total of three. Ingram didn’t play in a game last season.
• Junior defensive end Jake Laptad recorded his first career-two sack game. He had six tackles overall, including three tackles for loss (19 yards). Junior linebacker Drew Dudley was the other Jayhawk to record a sack against UNC, the first of his career.
• Junior cornerback Chris Harris and sophomore defensive tackle Jeff Foster didn’t waste time recording their career bests. On Northern Colorado’s first drive, Harris posted his first career forced fumble, while Foster recorded his first career fumble recovery.