2001 OU Season

Jayhawks Have History Against Sooner Powers

October 11, 2001

Ask Barry Switzer if the Kansas Jayhawks are a team that you can overlook when you're a powerhouse, you may hear many expletives followed by a deep gasp and a "what coulda been," out of the old coach. You see, if Oklahoma wouldn't have lost to Kansas on November 8, 1975 in Norman the Sooners could have carried a 36-game winning streak into the 1976 OU-Texas game that ended in a 6-6 tie. Instead, Oklahoma fumbled and bumbled their way to a 23-3 loss and the Switzer/Sooner winning streak was snapped at 28. This is just one instance of several that the Jayhawk fans can boast about when OU fans talk of their rich tradition, they hope to have one more to pour salt into the wounds this Saturday at 6 p.m. in Lawrence in front of a Fox Sports National broadcast.

Oklahoma quarterback Nate Hybl is presumed to be the starter after Bob Stoops said that Hybl is still the man despite injuries suffered in the OU-Texas game last Saturday. Hybl will work against a meek Kansas defense that gave up 242 yards passing to Texas Tech's Kliff Kingsbury before he was knocked out of the game in the Kansas 34-31 double overtime victory in Lubbock last Saturday. If Hybl struggles early or suffers more injury then the coaches will not hesitate to go to backup Jason White who shined in the victory last week, though White will not start the probability of seeing him is better in this game than it has been in many games this season. If OU jumps out to a three touchdown or more lead at half then you will probably see White most of the second half, opposed to being a five touchdown spread in a game before both to rest Hybl and give White a little more experience.

Defensively, the only thing Oklahoma fans need to worry about is a letdown after a dominant performance in the Cotton Bowl last week. Jayhawk running back Reggie Duncan had a tremendous game last week, but Sooner fans need not worry about him, the OU defense is a little more stout than the Tech crew. Kansas quarterback Mario Kinsey has shown some of the mobile skills that have given Oklahoma's defense a little trouble over the last few years, but this squad doesn't have the talent that K-State had and won't pose the same problems.

Kansas Head Coach Terry Allen respects the Oklahoma tradition and the success they are having right now. "They've got an aura about them right now. They believe in themselves, they believe in their coaches, and they believe that they can not be beat. And from a coaching standpoint, that's perfect. Everything is positive about the Oklahoma football program and team. The special thing they have going is confidence. They certainly have belief and confidence on their side."

The confidence in everything they do and the fact that they keep getting bigger and stronger is what makes this a scary situation if Bob Stoops stays, and there's no indication he won't, for a long time. Oklahoma has a rather large edge in athleticism, speed, coaching, and just about everything except the fact that the game is in Lawrence, which isn't a terribly intimidating place to play.

Listen to National Championship Game