State pride, bragging rights on the line this weekend

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

“I really knew from the very beginning that I never wanted to have anything to do with K-State,” Mike Rivera said with a smile.

That was the senior linebacker’s response when asked whether Kansas State ever offered him a scholarship. Rivera is a Kansas kid who went to Shawnee Mission Northwest, and he doesn’t mince words about his feelings for Saturday’s opponent.

“I never really cared for their football or their educational program,” Rivera said. “I pretty much knew from the beginning that, out of the Kansas schools, if I ever went anywhere, it would definitely be KU.”

Photo by Anna Faltermeier

Junior linebacker Mike Rivera makes a tackle during the game against Kansas State Saturday in Manhattan.

Saturday is the 106th meeting between the teams, and each has plenty to play for.

Kansas (5-3, 2-2) and Kansas State (4-4, 1-3) are muddled in the mess of four Big 12 North teams that must win now to qualify for a bowl game. Coach Mark Mangino echoed the classic rivalry rant that records don’t matter.

He said the game had been played with both teams winless, and the fans were still excited about it.

“It’s state pride, and it’s bragging rights,” Mangino said. “This game will always be fun for the fans.”

Rivera’s Wildcat hatred runs as deep as any Kansas fan.

“I don’t have any purple anything in my wardrobe,” he said.

Not every student shares that sentiment, though. In fact, some even dare to wear Kansas State gear to class.

“It’s definitely confusing,” Rivera said. “I don’t know why you’d be on KU campus wearing a K-State shirt. That’s something that I don’t really believe in, and I don’t know why they would do it.”

Rivera said it had been a long time since he saw a Kansas State-clad student. That may have something to do with Kansas’ recent success against the Manhattanites.

In the past four years, the Jayhawks are 3-1 against the Wildcats. Last season, Kansas scored nine points in the final seven minutes, knocking off No. 24 Kansas State 30-24.

That game propelled the Jayhawks to an eventual 7-1 conference record. This time they already have two defeats, but a victory would make them bowl-eligible.

In its history, Kansas has never made it to a bowl game in consecutive seasons. That could be erased with a rivalry victory on Saturday, and that sounds just fine to senior linebacker Joe Mortensen.

A native of Concord, Calif., Mortensen didn’t appreciate this rivalry when he first arrived. He said it took him a year and some history lessons to understand what it really meant.

The plight of senior offensive lineman Adrian Mayes also helped the process. Mayes and Mortensen are roommates, and they’ve traveled together to Mayes’ home in Manhattan.

“He goes to his hometown and gets hated on because he’s a KU guy,” Mortensen said. “It’s a huge rivalry.”

Mangino said that no matter the outcome, each team earns only one victory or one loss. Still, that doesn’t mean there’s not something a little extra brought out of every player on the field or fan in the stands.

“No matter what you did last week and no matter who you’re playing next week, the fans and everybody look forward to this game,” Mangino said. “More importantly, the players on both teams look forward to this game.”

The “Sunflower State Showdown” label puts a flowery veil on this vicious rivalry, but Mortensen opted to cut to the chase.

“It’s the battle of Kansas,” he said.

— — Edited by Lauren Keith

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