Many of us Nebraskans hate to see it go.  The rivalry with the Kansas teams just a state below us (to the south that is) and that is nothing short to compare with games of the past with rival Kansas State. 

Check it out from years past:

1998- (1)Kansas St 40, (11)Nebraska 30 – “The Facemask”

A game that couldn’t be remembered more oppositely amongst the two teams’ fan bases. K State fans remember this game as the crowning moment of their most successful season of all time. Husker fans remember this game by a single motion, taking a closed fist, fingers toward your face, and dragging it slowly from your forehead to your chin.   (or in other words… OUCH)  This game sparked the beginning of the rivalry. And the end of Eric Crouch’s neck.

Key Stat- Kansas St. had 6 fumbles in the game and lost 4 of them, turning the ball over 5 times total, however the Wildcats outgained the Huskers 512-351 in total yards.

2000- (11)Kansas St 29, (5)Nebraska 28 - ”2 Minute Blizzard”

Sometimes a higher force steps in and decides who is going to win a football game and fate just has to be accepted. This game was played in a somewhat rainy conditions throughout most of the night, before temperatures dropped and an outright blizzard took over the field, soon after the Wildcats scored the go-ahead touchdown. For a team that already struggled throwing the ball, the Huskers stood little chance in driving for the game winning score in the snow.

Key Stat- Quincy Morgan caught 7 passes for 199 yards, and two touchdowns, from quarterback Jonathan Beasley.

2002- (11)Kansas St 49, Nebraska 13 - ”Oh Lordy”

The beginning of the end for the Husker Dynasty that reigned supreme in the Big 12, which coincided with the beginning of the Jammal Lord era. Watching the highlights of this game was enough to make me throw up in my mouth a tiny bit. It was their worse loss in 34 years. And they had those terrible, horrible, no good, very bad red stripes down the sides of their uniforms. Anyone who thinks Solich was unjustly fired should take a look at this season’s results. Or Mr Lord’s play. Enough said… moving on…

Key Stat: Kansas St. outgained Nebraska 415-97 in rushing yards.

2004- Kansas St 45, Nebraska 21 – “Bleh, Maybe This was a Bad Idea”

Who could forget this memorable quarterback matchup between Joe Dailey and Allen Webb? Hopefully both fan bases. The Wildcats went 4-7 this year while the Huskers topped that with a 5-6 record. Need more be said about this game?

Key Stat: Darren Sproles attended local high school, Olathe North.

2006- (20)Nebraska 21, Kansas St 3 – “Needed Revenge?”

Whew, finally. Was starting to have doubts about making this list. The Huskers broke a streak of four straight losses in Manhattan in this snoozefest, where all highlights have been trashed and burned. The Huskers won the Big 12 North that year while the Wildcats were stuck with Ron Prince and Josh Freeman. Wait, one of them turned out successful?

Key Stat: Nebraska scored on a fake field goal (which is always fun).

2008- Nebraska 56, Kansas St 28 – “Heluuuuu Bo Pelini!” The Huskers marched up and down the field, led by (the poor man’s Rich Gannon) Joey Ganz, to the tune of 610 yards. It was Bo Pelini’s first year and the last year of Ron Prince. This was the game that cemented Josh Freeman as a bust as a Wildcat (he was outperformed by Carson Coffman after getting benched) in my mind, and am still shocked, SHOCKED, to see him finding success in the NFL. Oh well, at least he never beat Nebraska.

Key Stat: This was the game that the Husker defense regained their historic “Blackshirt” jerseys in practice, never to look back. In hindsight, this will go down as a monumental game, seeing as how dominant the defense has become since then.

Both teams are coming into this game undefeated and are working towards leading the Big 12 North this year.  Should be an interesting game and I glad I get to tune in from the “Big Sky”.

Source: seattletimes.nwnewssource.com

Click here to view the embedded video.

The target sits squarely on the backs of the Kansas Jayhawks. They are the consensus preseason pick as the No. 1 team in college basketball for 2009-10. If there is a publication or poll that has selected another No. 1, it has been done quietly and without much thought.

As a HUGE fan of Kansas growing up in Nebraska (i know that there probably wasn’t much of a support system ; ) ), I have been a die hard fan of Kansas Jayhawk basketball since in elementary school.  Back in the day when Danny Manning lead Danny and “the Miracles” all the way in 1988 at Kemper Arena to two years ago when Mario Chalmers nailed a 3 pt shoot to push Kansas into an eventual win over Memphis.

I even have interest in naming my next dog Phog… After the great coach and Fieldhouse , Phog Allen Fieldhouse.  As a great sport college basketball gets underway again this year, I always am interested if the worthy Jayhawks can pull out another championship.

Before North Carolina cut down the nets at the Final Four in Detroit, the press was already selecting Kansas as the next team to beat. The prediction was conditionally based on the return of senior point guard Sherron Collins and junior center Cole Aldrich. When those two announced they were having too much fun in Lawrence and wouldn’t enter the 2009 NBA draft, the deal was complete. The addition of freshman Xavier Henry was gravy — very significant gravy.

Collins and Aldrich are determined to win back the national trophy they carted away from San Antonio in 2008 and, in the process, become the first Jayhawks ever to wear two championship rings.

Aldrich and Collins are first-team preseason All-America choices. In the Big 12, they share preseason player of year honors. If that doesn’t impress you, consider this statement from Kansas coach Bill Self.

“Cole has a chance, in my opinion, to be the best true big man Kansas has had since Wilt (Chamberlain),” Self said at Big 12 media day. “Danny (Manning) wasn’t a center. Raef (LaFrentz) wasn’t a center. That’s a pretty big statement for 50-plus years.”

Self also has supreme confidence in Collins, who shouldered a huge load last season as the Jayhawks regrouped after losing all the starters from that championship team. “Last year I pretty much had to be on top of my game or we would lose,” Collins said. But he knows it won’t as demanding this time around. Tyshawn Taylor is better. So are the Morris twins: Marcus and Markieff.

Kansas has so much depth that Self is considering redshirt seasons for Mario Little and Travis Releford. Little fought off injuries and averaged 4.7 points and 3.2 rebounds in 23 games last season. Releford, a two-time high school All-American, played in 32 games as a freshman. Reserve Conner Teahan might also sit out the season, but Self would still have enough for an extremely talented nine-man rotation.

Of the newcomers, Henry has received the most publicity, and he might be the first one-and-done player in Kansas history. His outside shooting and rebounding will be a big boost. But remember the name Thomas Robinson. The 6-foot-9 freshman has made a big impression in the practice.

From www.kuathletics.com “His motor is different than what we’ve had,” Self said. “Thomas has changed practice more than anybody else.”

Unlike last season, when the Jayhawks did better than anyone expected, Aldrich and Collins have a strong supporting cast this season. Are they good enough to live up to the ultra-high expectations? Only time will tell.

That’s myfirst storyline of the season on things I am passionate about.  Yep, KU Basketball.  Rock Chalk Jayhawk, Go KU.

300.

Solid number it is.  

And a great movie about 300 Spartans taking on legitimately the entire world in the Battle of Thermopylae.

Putting B.C. wars aside, this is also a historic number from the perspective of a Husker fan.

Indeed, it is a very meaningful number.

On Saturday, September 25, our beloved Huskers will break onto the field among support from their fans for the 300th consecutive sellout.

Ah, you say.  That’s nice.  No big deal, right?

300 is a very solid number.

Dating back to 1962, the Nebraska Huskers have sold out every game played in their vaunted Memorial Stadium.  Yes, many a great game has been played here, but we have also sold out games against Pacific and Utah State.

Meager?

Maybe.

But it shows the level of commitment of Husker Nation.  Good, bad, or indifferent, the Huskers will pack the house.  Win, lose, or draw, we’ll keep coming back.

I’m not a youngin’ by any stretch of the imagination, but this “streak” started even before I was born. 

To me, that is simply startling to imagine.

Does the 300th consecutive sellout speak of greatness? 

Somewhat.

Does it speak of pride?  Yep.

Does it speak of community?  Yep.

Does it speak of true fandom?  Absolutely.

I often hear that we have nothing better to do in Nebraska, and that somewhat rings true.

But, I conjecture: Am I doing anything different than the next fan in whatever place of the college football world that makes them great?

Nope.

I’m simply here to give the facts.  And the facts are, the Huskers, our Huskers, will pack their stadium for the 300th consecutive game this Saturday.

Win or Lose, I’ll be back the next time my beloved Huskers wear the vaunted “N” and take the field.  And I’m sure my kids and kids of kids and kids of kids of kids will do the same.

Tradition?

The Yankees can’t sell out 300 straight. 

300.

A very solid number.  A number that will keep growing.  And a number that speaks volumes about what it means to be a Husker Fan.

GO BIG RED!