KANSAS

OFFENSE

Todd Reesing completed 37 passes but only threw for 256 yards as the Kansas offense dinked and dunked their way down the field on Saturday against FIU, opting to go for the shorter passes instead of the longer ones. One of the few long throws that Reesing attempted was intercepted. Coach Mark Mangino said that FIU didn’t want them to run the ball and that they were allowing them to throw the short passes. Dexton Fields will miss the game with an injury but Daymond Patterson and Jonathon Wilson should be able to fill the void. Look for the Kansas offense to use the two-back set with Jake Sharp and Jocques Crawford as they did against FIU. The offense is set for a breakout game.

Ranking: 4 out of 5

DEFENSE

New defensive coordinator Clint Bowen couldn’t have asked for a better debut on Saturday, allowing FIU to rack up only 139 yards of total offense. The only FIU touchdown came on a punt return, meaning the defense only allowed a fieldgoal late in the second half. They held FIU to 2-14 on third-down conversions and were able to hold FIU on several occasions when they were handed bad field position. Look out for nickelback Phillip Strozier, who had two interceptions against FIU.

Ranking: 5 out of 5

SPECIAL TEAMS

Daymond Patterson burst onto the scene in his first college game, taking four punt returns for 135 yards. His third of the day went for a 75-yard touchdown down the right sideline in the second quarter. Alonzo Rojas had a strong debut as well, hitting two field goals, including a 47 yarder, and averaging 46 yards on three punts. The only mistake came when FIU took back a punt return of their own 74 yards for a score. Mangino said that they had made a few personnel changes and corrected the problem.

Ranking: 4 out of 5

COACHING

Mangino did a great job last year of keeping his team focused one game at a time and that will be the challenge this week. With a big ESPN2 match-up at South Florida looming next Friday, Mangino must somehow keep his squad focused on Louisiana Tech and not allow the Jayhawks to look past the Bulldogs and think about the sunny beaches of Tampa. Offensive coordinator Ed Warinner will continue to sprinkle in bits and pieces of the offense that we haven’t seen before, but they will probably be saving most of their new wrinkles for South Florida.

Ranking: 4 out of 5

MOMENTUM

Both teams come in with momentum after winning their first game of the season, but another potential sell-out crowd should give the Jayhawks the edge. Kansas beat FIU 40-10 but didn’t play all that well on offense. Kansas will be looking for a much more dominating performance and should come out fired up.

Ranking: 4 out of 5

AT A GLANCE

Despite winning by 30 points, Kansas didn’t play that dominating of a game against FIU on Saturday. A team’s biggest improvement comes from week one to two, so look for Kansas to come out strong. It could be another sellout at Memorial Stadium, which should help propel Kansas to a 2-0 start.

BY THE NUMBERS

37 - Completions for Todd Reesing

40- points scored against FIU

135 - Punt return yards for Daymond Patterson

139 - Yards of offense allowed by the Kansas defense

PLAYER TO WATCH

Jeremiah Hatch

Hatch will make his first start of the season on Saturday at right tackle after missing the FIU game with an undisclosed injury. If healthy, the freshman should help allow Todd Reesing more time to throw the ball down the field.

QUESTION MARKS

Will running back Jocques Crawford and guard Adrian Mayes play? The two were both banged up and left the FIU game last Saturday with undisclosed injuries. Both are key parts to the offense and Crawford is looking to have a breakout game after he rushed for only 32 yards last week before leaving the game.

Will Kansas stay focused on Louisiana Tech with South Florida looming next week? The Jayhawks did a great job of not looking past any opponents in 2007 and they are faced with that challenge again on Saturday with a much tougher task awaiting them next week.

MEMORIAL STADIUM WILL ROCK IF…

The young receivers come close to their performances last week. Sophomore Dezmon Briscoe caught three touchdown passes and freshman Daymond Patterson electrified the stadium with the first highlight-reel play of the season — a 75-yard punt return touchdown.

GALE SAYERS WILL WEEP IF…

Kansas lines up to feast on another cupcake, because Louisiana Tech is far from a tasty treat. Derek Dooley’s Dawgs have some serious bite and their win last week should’ve let the Jayhawks know that they’re not to be taken lightly.

LOUISIANA TECH

OFFENSE

Quarterback Taylor Bennett is a smart guy — he just didn’t look that way against Mississippi State. Bennett struggled, completing only 14 of 40 passes with an interception, but he did throw one touchdown in the second quarter. Sophomore wide receiver Phillip Livas averaged 18 yards per catch as a freshman and Philip Beck is a solid possession receiver. The duo also handles the return duties, with Beck covering punts and Livas the top man for kick returns. Running back Patrick Jackson scored both touchdowns in Louisiana Tech’s 22-14 victory last week.

Ranking: 2 out of 5

DEFENSE

Louisiana Tech’s defense has tremendous speed, good hands and a nose for the ball. Last week the Bulldogs recorded three sacks, three interceptions and two fumble recoveries. They’re unlikely to duplicate those numbers, but even a fraction of that would keep them in the game longer than expected. Junior safeties Antonio Baker and Deon Young lead an experienced secondary and the duo each recorded an interception last week. Defensive end Kwame Jordan is a 6-foot-4, 245-pound animal who transferred to Louisiana Tech from Fort Scott Community College, where he recorded 17.5 sacks in 2007.

Ranking: 3 out of 5

SPECIAL TEAMS

If Penn State is Linebacker U, then just call Louisiana Tech Kicker U. While not nearly as sexy a title, the Bulldogs shouldn’t be ashamed of their impressive list of kicking alumni. Current NFL place kickers Josh Scobee (Jacksonville Jaguars) and Matt Stover (Baltimore Ravens) once booted for the Bulldogs. So did former NFLer Chris Boniol, who’s the only player in league history to attempt seven field goals of 28 yards or more — he made all seven. Now kicking for Louisiana Tech is senior Brad Oestriecher, who connected on field goals of 48, 28 and 50 yards last week. Oestriecher also had an extra point blocked, but still earned WAC special teams player-of-the-week honors.

Ranking: 3 out of 5

COACHING

Derek Dooley comes from a strong coaching pedigree, the son of legendary Georgia coach Vince Dooley. The elder Dooley took the Bulldogs to unprecedented heights, winning six SEC championships and the school’s only national championship in the last 66 years. Like his father did at Georgia, Derek serves as Louisiana Tech’s football coach and athletic director. He’s currently the only person in D-I to hold both titles. From 2000-04, Dooley served on Nick Saban’s staff at LSU, helping it win the 2004 national championship.

Ranking: 3 out of 5

MOMENTUM

The Bulldogs are riding high after their sloppy 22-14 victory last week. The game may have been ugly, but Louisiana Tech’s defense was solid and there were a lot of positives to take away. Dooley said on Tuesday that he tried to keep them from celebrating the win too much so they could focus on this week’s game. Beating a bowl team at home and defeating a BCS bowl team on the road are two very different things, but Dooley’s Dawgs have plenty of confidence heading into Saturday’s contest.

Ranking: 3 out of 5

AT A GLANCE

Saturday’s victory was the first time Louisiana Tech beat a BCS conference team since it edged Michigan State 20-19 in 2003. The Bulldogs haven’t defeated two BCS teams in the same season since 1997, and the odds aren’t in their favor to do it this year. They’re more than capable of keeping the game uncomfortably close for Kansas fans, but the ball will have to bounce their way more than a few times in key situations to notch the upset.

BY THE NUMBERS

(2008 stats and national rank)

scoring offense

22.0 ppg – 76th

passing offense

175.0 ypg – 74th

rushing offense

94.0 ypg – 94th

scoring defense

14.0 ppg – 43rd

passing defense

257.0 ypg – 84th

rushing defense

91.0 ypg – 47th

PLAYER TO WATCH

Senior running back Patrick Jackson

Jackson has running back speed with fullback power, making him a very versatile weapon out of the Bulldog backfield. Jackson scored both touchdowns — one rushing, one receiving — last week and he currently ranks third all-time in Louisiana Tech’s record books with 4,360 all-purpose yards. Jackson may also field some punts or kickoffs on Saturday. His cousin, Tyson Jackson, is a preseason first team all-SEC defensive end at LSU.

QUESTION MARKS

Can the Tech secondary pull off another miracle?

Last week Louisiana Tech surrendered 257 passing yards, but came up with key interceptions to halt drives in its own territory. Kansas quarterback Todd Reesing picked apart the FIU defense with short passes, making it more difficult for the secondary to get involved. The Bulldogs must force Reesing to go deep and take advantage when he does.

Will Taylor Bennett complete at least 50 percent of his passes?

PREDICTION: Kansas 38, Louisiana Tech 13

— — Edited by Adam Mowder