For many Jayhawk fans, the best thing about Saturday’s football game against Kansas State University is that it means basketball season is just around the corner.

The home team took a thrashing at the Sunflower Showdown, with the Jayhawks falling to the Wildcats 64-0 at Memorial Stadium. And as K-State ran up the score to record heights, many fans said they couldn’t wait to move into Allen Fieldhouse for Monday’s season-opening exhibition game against the EA Sports All-Stars.

One reason, no doubt, is better cheering conditions: Saturday’s game was cold and wet, with spectators’ yells muffled behind scarves as mittened hands smacked together long, blue noisemakers called thundersticks.

But the real reason for KU fans’ anticipation of Monday is that commencement of basketball season typically brings a chance of silencing that purple mass that swarms Memorial Stadium every fall.

“Oh, big,” said Charles Troutman when asked how badly he wanted to see KU beat K-State on the court. “Like 130 to 60 or something. Just big.”

The KU freshman and Osawatomie native comes from a family with split loyalties. He bleeds crimson and blue; his dad and sister proudly wear purple.

Like Troutman, many use the annual game as an opportunity to reunite with friends or engage in some friendly ribbing.

One Jayhawk fan joked that the way to have fun at a KU football game was to create a diversion from the on-field action.

For instance, said Douglas Pratt, “Find that (K-State) mascot guy, No. 0, and do something to get us thrown in jail.”

Finding something to cheer about is the trick, the Shawnee Mission teacher said.

“Our players down there might not know how to tackle someone, but I know how to tackle someone,” Pratt said.

Megan Hahn, a KU freshman from Derby, sat between her sister and a friend who both attend K-State. Hardly intimidated by her bleachermates, Hahn was not afraid to support the struggling Jayhawks.

“I have my big blue things to bang in their faces,” she said, teasing her companions with the thundersticks.

But asked which would be better  beating K-State in football or the start of basketball season  Hahn had a simple answer.

“Basketball, duh,” she said. “It’s a given.”

After the first quarter, five KU faculty members were named 2002 Outstanding Educators by KU’s chapter of Mortar Board, a national senior honor society.

Winners were Barbara Ballard, associate vice provost for student support; Victoria Corbin, associate professor of molecular biosciences; Dennis Dailey, professor of social welfare; Stephen Ilardi, assistant professor of psychology; and Mary Klayder, University Honors lecturer in English.

Recipients are chosen for their devotion to academia, teaching style, accessibility and knowledge of their subject.

The winners also will be recognized during a reception at 12:30 p.m. today at the Big 12 Room in the Kansas Union.