A two-victory, basketball-football doubleheader Saturday at Memorial Stadium brought summer’s collegiate sports drought to an end for Jayhawk fans.

For the first time in Kansas University school history, the men’s football and basketball teams opened their seasons on the same day.

Well, sort of.

The basketball team’s 82-51 romp Saturday afternoon over the University of British Columbia, seen on the Memorial Stadium MegaVision video board by roughly 6,000 fans, was part of a pre-preseason exhibition tour in Canada. Basketball fans will have to wait until Nov. 19 for regulation play to begin.

But for the football team, Saturday evening’s 21-3 victory over of the University of Tulsa was the real deal, and a solid opening act for a team hoping to prove that last’s seasons successes could become a trend.

For some Jayhawk fans, the promise of an early glimpse of the school’s hoops team was reason enough to purchase a ticket.

As he exited the stadium after the basketball game, Adil Zafar, a KU junior, said he wasn’t sure whether he would return for the football game. Just getting a peek of the basketball team was sports satisfaction enough.

“It’s a basketball school, everybody knows that,” Zafar said. “It was a little hot in there, but it was worth it to see the basketball players, especially the freshmen, a few months before the season even starts.”

Others, however, thought that scheduling the basketball game on the same day as the football season opener was akin to a bigger, more popular brother stealing some of the limelight from his smaller sibling’s big debut.

Kansas University students, from left, Eric Jorgensen, Lawrence sophomore, Nick Nelson, Baldwin sophomore, Brad Wilson, Vinland sophomore, Spencer Wilson, Vinland freshman, and Dan Hamilton, Baldwin sophomore, cheer on the Jayhawk football team against Tulsa. The KU football and basketball teams made their 2004-'05 debuts Saturday, and both were victorious.

Blake Cooper, a Wichita lawyer who graduated from KU in 1996, spent the afternoon sipping beer with friend Justin Meeks at The Crossing, 618 W. 12th St., instead of in the stadium watching the basketball game.

“It’s football season, not basketball season,” Cooper said. “I know that is sacrilege to say around here, but I’m here to support the football team. Basketball can wait until December.”

“It really does take away from the football team a little,” Meeks said. “I mean, we went to a bowl game last year. They deserve to get some respect.”

Though most fans may not have been as adamant as Cooper and Meeks, football was clearly the day’s centerpiece. Roughly 40,500 fans packed Memorial Stadium for the season opener.

Yeager and Sara Hull, football and basketball season-ticket holders for 43 years, popped into the stadium for some of the basketball game, but headed back outside to tailgate before the first half was over.

“We were a little curious to see some of the new players,” Yeager Hull said. “But we’re mostly here to see the football game.”

For most fans, it seemed, the basketball exhibition was a nice appetizer before the main course of football in Saturday’s sports smorgasbord.

“I mean, it’s September. KU basketball is only playing Canada,” said Brian Polcar, a KU freshman. “It was cool to see some of the new players, but we expected the Jayhawks to crush them. I came to see some football.”

Football: 6Sports video: Defense shines for Jayhawks Hear Mark and the players: Tulsa post-game Photo Gallery: KU vs. Tulsa Get the stats: KU vs. Tulsa box score Kansas rides out Hurricane, 21-3 Woodling: Defense — yes, defense — key to Kansas’ victory Tulsa lauds KU defense Rideau’s blocks spark Jayhawks KU wins at home, abroad Mayer: Unruly fans have much to learn Notebook How they scoredBasketball: Hear Bill: British Columbia post-game Get the stats: KU vs. British Columbia box score Photo Gallery: KU vs. British Columbia Freshman Giles shines in debut Jayhawks, fans impress UBC