KANSAS

OFFENSE

The Jayhawks have had a week to fix what coach Mark Mangino called the most frustrating performance of the season against Texas last Saturday, when they scored just seven points. Only time will tell whether the bye week helped. Running back Jake Sharp and wide receiver Kerry Meier were both injured, and their status is unknown for Saturday’s Border Showdown. The Jayhawks will need both healthy to have a chance against the 12th-ranked Tigers.

★★★✩✩

DEFENSE

The Jayhawk defense is coming off one of its best performances of the season against Texas last Saturday. Yes, the Jayhawks gave up 35 points, but they held the Longhorns to just 14 points in the first half and gave the KU offense plenty of opportunities to stay in the game. They are giving up almost 29 points per game in 2008, good for 87th in the nation. That’s 10 more points per game than last season, when the Jayhawk defense was one of the best in the nation.

★★★✩✩

SPECIAL TEAMS

Eleven games into the season, the Jayhawk kick return unit is still dead last in the nation. Marcus Herford and company are averaging only 15.74 yards per return. Mangino has voiced his disappointment for the unit multiple times this season, but nothing seems to be improving as the weeks go on. The Jayhawks are 24th in the nation in punt returns, however, at 12.33 yards per return.

★★✩✩✩

COACHING

Mangino has tried just about everything to fix the problems on both defense and special teams, but nothing seems to have worked. He made personnel changes on defense and tried running back Jocques Crawford at kick returner, but it hasn’t turned out as he had hoped. You can’t fault the coaching staff for trying.

★★★★✩

MOMENTUM

Kansas has lost four of its last five games and doesn’t come into this one with much momentum. But the game is against Missouri, which means everything else gets thrown out the door. The Jayhawks know just how big this game is for their fans, and they will surely be hyped and ready to play on Saturday.

★★✩✩✩

The Jayhawks will try to end a two-game losing streak when they play No. 12 Missouri at Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday in the regular season finale for both teams. The two will meet for the 117th time, the second-most of any college football series. Kansas needs a victory to secure its second consecutive winning season.

(2008 Averages and National Rank)

28th

scoring offense (32 ppg)

12th

passing offense (295.73 ypg)

72nd

rushing offense (134.91 ypg)

87th

scoring defense (28.82 ppg)

114th

passing defense (274.4 ypg)

30th

rushing defense (120.91 ypg)

Kerry Meier

The Jayhawks’ leading receiver has played injured for much of the season but had to take himself out of the Texas game with an injury to either his hamstring or his quad. He is quarterback Todd Reesing’s favorite target on third downs, meaning his health is vital to the Jayhawks’ chances on Saturday.

Will Jake Sharp and Kerry Meier be able to play?

The Jayhawks’ leading rusher and receiver both left the Texas game with injuries and haven’t practiced much, if at all, in preparation for Saturday’s Border Showdown. Kansas will need both players on the field to have any chance against the Tigers.

Will Kansas have a winning season?

The Jayhawks need to beat Missouri to ensure their second consecutive winning season. A trip to a bowl game is almost guaranteed regardless of the outcome, but a victory would put the Jayhawks at 7-5 and guarantee them a plus-.500 record.

Jayhawk nation will rock if…

The KU defense can slow down the Missouri offense, and the Jayhawks can win the turnover battle. Turnovers are always the key stat in a big game, and it will be imperative for the Jayhawks to force some turnovers on defense and take care of the ball on offense if they want to win.

Gale Sayers will weep if…

The KU defense has another poor showing and is unable to slow the high-powered Missouri offense. The KU defense has to play its best game of the season if the Jayhawks have any chance of winning.

MISSOURI

OFFENSE

Oklahoma is the only Big 12 team that ranks ahead of Missouri in each of the major offensive categories — passing yards, rushing yards and points per game. The Tigers average more than 512 yards and 45 points per game. Numbers like that would be middle-of-the-pack in the Big 12 South, but in the North they have led to a division crown. Quarterback Chase Daniel, a preseason Heisman contender, hasn’t looked the same since throwing three interceptions against Oklahoma State. Still, Daniel and this unit on a bad day are better than most on their best.

★★★★★

DEFENSE

The Tigers give up a lot of yards, particularly through the air, but get near the end zone and they stiffen like a steel beam. Missouri allows just 23.3 points per game. That ranks a modest 52nd nationally, but of the other five North teams, the highest-ranked is Colorado at 82. Junior linebacker Sean Weatherspoon edges Kansas’ James Holt for the conference lead in tackles for loss 15-14.5 and ranks third with 10.3 tackles per game. Weatherspoon also has three interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns.

★★★★✩

SPECIAL TEAMS

Missouri doesn’t have a lot of worries when it comes to the often overlooked aspects of special teams play. Kicker Jeff Wolfert has made the most field goals (16) in the Big 12 and his 80 percent conversion rate also paces the conference. On top of that, Mizzou has one of the best, if not the best, return men in the country. Jeremy Maclin is a threat to go the distance at any time, and he did so earlier this year with a 99-yard kick return. Maclin averages 25.6 yards per kick return and 9.9 yards per punt return.

★★★★★

COACHING

Possibly foreseeing a jump to Washington or Tennessee, Missouri signed coach Gary Pinkel to a lucrative contract extension last week. The new deal will pay Pinkel approximately $2.5 million per year, making him one of the highest-paid coaches in the country. With a pay raise in his back pocket and the division trophy already in hand, Pinkel enters Arrowhead without a single worry except Kansas.

★★★★✩

MOMENTUM

It’s been similar to three separate seasons for Missouri this year. The Tigers started on fire with five consecutive wins. Then disaster struck in the middle of the season with a loss to Oklahoma State and a blowout at Texas. Now the Tigers have righted the ship, only there’s not the same swagger that they started with (evidenced by a 31-28 squeaker at Baylor). Missouri has proven that it’s the class of the North, but subpar performances against the South have scarred the Tigers.

★★★★✩

Momentum is the key factor in Saturday’s game for Missouri, which already has the Big 12 North title already in its possession. The Tigers have won four in a row for the second time this season and a fifth straight could help propel them into a successful Big 12 Title game. Against the South this season, Missouri is 1-2, and that one victory was a three-point squeaker at Baylor. Last season the Tigers lost to Oklahoma twice and it’s likely they’ll face the Sooners again in Kansas City. Saturday is a warmup for the game Missouri really wants to win.

(2008 Averages and National Rank)

4th

scoring offense (45.7 ppg)

4th

passing offense (349.4 ypg)

48th

rushing offense (162.9 ypg)

52nd

scoring defense (23.3 ppg)

111th

passing defense (268.2 ypg)

37th

rushing defense (124.5 ypg)

Jeremy Maclin

Maclin is an unbelievable playmaker who could score a touchdown every time he touches the ball. Maclin has 13 touchdowns, and he leads the nation with 202.3 all-purpose yards per game

Will Chase Daniel throw an interception?

Since tossing three picks against Oklahoma State, Daniel has thrown at least one interception in every game. This comes after he threw just one in the first five games.

Can Kansas contain Derrick Washington?

The fiery back is a perfect compliment to Daniel and the passing attack. Washington has 947 yards and 16 touchdowns, and when he’s effective, Daniel has all day to throw.

Prediction:

Kansas 36, Missouri 28