A Fourth of July day full of excitement, activities and parades wouldn’t be complete without the firework show at the end. Likewise a homecoming week wouldn’t be complete without an exciting and memorable conclusion. Throughout the history of the University, the football team has been able to offer its homecoming fans that explosion of excitement.

The Beginning

The Jayhawks began their homecoming tradition at McCook Field on Nov. 23, 1912, with a 12-3 victory against the Missouri. In 1918 Kansas was forced to cancel its homecoming then-Border Showdown against Missouri because of a flu epidemic.

Cornhuskers Equal Homecoming House of Horrors

The homecoming tradition against the University of Nebraska, this year’s opponent, has an interesting past. In 1922, the Huskers defeated the Jayhawks 28-0, spoiling the homecoming dedication of Memorial Stadium in Lawrence. The next year, however, Kansas tied the MVC-winning Cornhuskers in Lincoln during Nebraska’s homecoming and the dedication of Nebraska’s Memorial Stadium in what was called a “stadium dedication jinx.”

In retrospect maybe Kansas should have let Nebraska cherish its stadium dedication as the Huskers seem to have taken the disappointing tie to heart by dominating Kansas and dampening the Jayhawks’ homecoming celebrations throughout history. When scheduled for homecoming in Lawrence, the Cornhuskers are a remarkable 21-3-1.

Defense Blows Away Competition in Blizzard

On a cold November afternoon in 1923, the Jayhawks achieved a historical feat. They fought through a blizzard and tied the Missouri Tigers 3-3, finished the season without allowing their opponents to score a single touchdown and were atop the Missouri Valley Conference.

1971: A Year to Remember

The 1971 homecoming game and the events surrounding it offered a lot of entertainment for Kansas students to enjoy. In the days leading up to the game, Jayhawk pranksters successfully changed the letters on “KS Hill” in Manhattan to read “KU.” Kansas added to the fun the following week by collecting blue and red underwear from students and dropping it from a plane onto the Kansas State campus.

The game itself was equally enjoyable because the Jayhawks defeated the Wildcats by a score of 39-13 in front of 51,617 people, the third largest crowd in Memorial Stadium history. The Jayhawks gained 248 yards on the ground, dismantling the top-ranked run defense in the country.

Although the memorable pranks and blowout victory were special moments in Jayhawk history, the most lasting image of the 1971 homecoming game occurred during halftime. Big Jay carried a giant egg onto the field and, after a few moments, the lovable mascot Baby Jay hatched out of her shell. She has stayed with Kansas ever since.

Jayhawks Play Spoiler to Aikman’s Debut

In the 1984 showdown against the No. 2 Sooners, the Jayhawks gave a warm welcome to the future NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman by spoiling his college debut, defeating the Sooners 28-11.

Winbush Whoops Up On Nationally Ranked Buffaloes

The upset of No. 17 Colorado in 1998 was personally ground-delivered by Jayhawk running back David Winbush. In his previous 15 games Winbush had never eclipsed the 100-yard marker. In game 16, however, Winbush surpassed all but three Jayhawks in the record books, rushing for 268 yards, the fourth most all-time in single game.

After such a defeat one could only assume that the goal posts came down, right? Of course they did, and at least one student was hospitalized afterward.

The K-State Thriller and Streak Killer

In the 2004 thriller against Kansas State University, the Jayhawks’ Charles Gordon snagged a last chance onside kick with 2:04 to win a game that marked Mark Mangino’s first victory against the Wildcats as head coach and Kansas’ first victory against the Wildcats since 1992.

Homecoming Records

Kansas has been mediocre throughout homecoming history, posting an all-time record of 41-48-5. During the past two decades, however, the team has shown up in dominant fashion to welcome back its former Jayhawks, winning 13 of its last 17 homecoming games.

The past three coaches, Glen Mason, Terry Allen and currently, Mark Mangino, all have losing records overall but post impressive homecoming resumes.

Mason holds a .466 winning percentage at Kansas, the best in the last 37 years. The record is bolstered by Mason’s homecoming success as he emerged victorious in six out of nine games.

Terry Allen holds a .375 winning percentage for his five years here but won four of five homecoming match-ups. The only loss came in his final year to an Oklahoma team that was riding a 19-game winning streak. That streak lasted 20 games partially due to current Kansas Coach Mark Mangino, who at the time was the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator of the Sooners.

Mangino has also found success at Kansas during his stay as the Jayhawks commander-in-chief, winning 3 of 5 homecoming games.

Whether it has been a successful or disappointing season in Kansas football history, the Jayhawks are always able to offer the fans an enjoyable and eventful experience for homecoming. With many memorable moments already packed into the 2007 season, one would expect this year to be no exception.

— Edited by Amelia Freidline