Final shot: KU needs to topple K-State to avoid winless season

Saturday marks the last shot for Kansas football to avoid going 0-for-the-season in football victories. With rival Kansas State coming to Memorial Stadium, is this finally the week first-year coach David Beaty gets the proverbial monkey off his back?

Many remain doubtful of KU’s chances after a 49-point, shutout loss at home to West Virginia last week. But one brave soul among our KUsports.com pickers thinks the Jayhawks can pull it off — a win that would also end K-State’s hopes of getting bowl eligible.

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WEEK 13 MATCHUPS

Baylor at TCU

Oklahoma at Oklahoma State

Ohio State at Michigan

Florida State at Florida

Notre Dame at Stanford

Kansas State at Kansas

Picker Baylor
at TCU		 Oklahoma St.
at Oklahoma		 Ohio St.
at Michigan		 Florida St.
at Florida		 Notre Dame
at Stanford		 Kansas St.
at Kansas
Tom
Keegan		 Baylor,
38-31		 Oklahoma,
41-35		 Michigan,
21-20		 Florida,
23-20		 Notre Dame,
28-24		 Kansas St.,
38-21
Matt
Tait		 Baylor,
38-33		 Oklahoma,
41-31		 Michigan,
31-30		 Florida,
27-23		 Stanford,
26-21		 Kansas St.,
41-21
Scott
Stanford		 Baylor,
63-35		 Oklahoma,
31-24		 Michigan,
35-14		 Florida St.,
24-17		 Stanford,
35-31		 Kansas,
24-23
Andrew
Hartsock		 TCU,
3-2		 Oklahoma,
33-32		 Michigan,
13-12		 Florida,
43-42		 Stanford,
53-52		 Kansas St.,
333-32
Gary
Bedore		 Baylor,
29-20		 Oklahoma,
34-30		 Michigan,
27-21		 Florida,
40-20		 Notre Dame,
22-20		 Kansas St.,
47-6
Chris
Cottrell		 Baylor,
30-27		 Oklahoma,
33-30		 Ohio St.,
28-21		 Florida St.,
22-21		 Notre Dame,
33-21		 Kansas St.,
20-16
Benton
Smith		 Baylor,
38-33		 Oklahoma,
31-24		 Michigan,
23-21		 Florida St.,
20-16		 Stanford,
31-24		 Kansas St.,
38-24
Bobby
Nightengale		 Baylor,
51-48		 Oklahoma St.,
35-28		 Ohio St.,
21-20		 Florida St.,
28-10		 Notre Dame,
27-24		 Kansas St.,
28-21
Chris
Duderstadt		 Baylor,
52-42		 Oklahoma,
35-24		 Ohio St.,
21-20		 Florida St.,
31-17		 Stanford,
28-24		 Kansas St.,
45-10
Kurt
Gatson		 Baylor,
51-49		 Oklahoma,
40-30		 Michigan,
23-22		 Florida St.,
23-20		 Stanford,
29-25		 Kansas St.,
37-17

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

In-state rivals Kansas and Kansas State square off this week. What’s your favorite rivalry in the sports universe — college, pro, whatever — and/or the best rivalry game you’ve attended in person?


Last week: 4-2 | Season: 54-18

That’s a tough one. I’ll go with
Alabama/Auburn. Even if the Iron Bowl
matchup isn’t close, there is a good
chance that some very passionate
Alabama and Auburn fans will call into
the Paul Finebaum Show on the SEC
Network with some entertaining rants.


Last week: 4-2 | Season: 54-18

I kinda miss OU-Nebraska.


Last week: 5-1 | Season: 53-19

My favorite rivalry is the Army/Navy
football game. I attended one, but the
best rivalry game I attended was the
most recent Kansas-Missouri basketball
game in Allen Fieldhouse.


Last week: 4-2 | Season: 53-19

I guess I’d say Kansas-Kansas State.
It’s not quite as hostile as
KU-Missouri was. Generally it’s more
of a positive atmosphere. However, the
best rivalry game I’ve seen had to be
KU’s overtime game against Missouri in
Allen Fieldhouse.


Last week: 5-1 | 52-20

Army-Navy. Best rivalry game was Dec.
8, 1985, Navy upset Peach Bowl-bound
Army 17-7. Navy running back Napoleon
McCallum ran for 217 yards in his last
game.


Last week: 4-2 | Season: 50-22

I miss the good ol’ days of
Kansas-Missouri in anything. The
battery tossing … Antlers antling
… Don Fambrough ranting … it
doesn’t get any better.


Last week: 4-2 | Season: 50-22

1974 KU-K-State basketball in Allen
Fieldhouse, a KU win that essentially
decided which team qualified for the
NCAA Tournament.


Last week: 3-3 | Season: 47-25

This may sound a little crazy — and I
do love Red Sox-Yankees, Duke-Carolina
and all the other classics — but some
of my favorite rivalry games have been
right here in town at Lawrence
High-Free State games.


Last week: 6-0 | Season: 45-27

UNC-Duke basketball games are
generally incredible. The best one I
went to came in 2000, at the Smith
Center. A Duke team that featured
freshmen Jay Williams, Carlos Boozer
and Mike Dunleavy Jr., and junior
Shane Battier, prevailed after UNC
freshman Joseph Forte hit a 3-pointer
to send the game to overtime. That
particular game also featured my
favorite UNC basketball player of all
time: Julius Peppers.


Last week: 4-2 | Season: 45-27

Nothing beats Duke vs. North Carolina
in my book. Two great college
basketball programs always producing
great drama. My favorite game from
that rivalry? Glad you asked. In 2010,
Duke had just lost to Maryland and
momentum appeared to be gone. Then the
Blue Devils unleashed an 82-50
whipping of UNC at home. They just
couldn’t miss a shot. Of course, that
Duke team never lost again on its way
to a national title.