Could Kansas meet this season’s Cinderella team come bowl season?
The East Carolina Pirates could be considered this year’s version of last year’s Jayhawks — and it’s not impossible that the momentum-driven Hawks and the Cinderella-like Pirates might meet in a BCS bowl.
Monday, September 8th, 2008
Maybe I was wrong. Maybe Kansas can continue to have a dismal rushing attack and still be bailed out by Todd Reesing and his stellar receiving corps.
Either way, Kansas put on an electrifying performance on both sides of the ball Saturday en route to proving capable of notching 10 wins and perhaps another BCS bowl berth.
Kansas 29, Louisiana Tech 0.
Should Kansas reach an unprecedented second consecutive BCS bowl, the team they will meet is 2008’s college football Cinderella: the East Carolina Pirates.
This year’s version of last year’s Jayhawks if you will.
East Carolina knocked off its second BCS and Top 25 team in as many weeks after its 24-3 rout over No. 8 West Virginia.
Now no team stands in the way of East Carolina that is the caliber of a Virginia Tech or West Virginia. There is no reason to suspect the Pirates won’t win out this year and finish as one of or the only undefeated teams in the country.
And a la the 2006 Boise State squad that went unbeaten and crashed the BCS party with their epic Fiesta Bowl win over Oklahoma, an undefeated Pirate squad will be relegated to one of the four other BCS bowls rather than the championship tilt.
Conference USA Champs aren’t the credentials necessary for an East Carolina BCS title run.
But it was a Big 12 team that met Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl two seasons past and should the Jayhawks collide with East Carolina in a BCS bowl, prepare to be short of breath for it will steal the show and prove to be the top bowl of the 2008-2009 season.
The Pirates are the 2007 Jayhawks but not the Kansas of 2008. No, this year’s Kansas is better than the team that shocked the world one season ago.
And with a legit running game there would be few mirrors for this squad. No matter, Reesing played better than he ever has, completing 32-of-38 passes for 412 yards and another trio of scores to usual suspects. Dezmon Briscoe had a stellar 48-yard score after breaking six tackles, and Daymond Patterson continued his bid to be our state’s diminutive answer to Mizzou’s Jeremy Maclin. I’m not breaking any news here when I reiterate that in his first start at receiver, Patterson had eight grabs for 130 yards and two impressive scores. Odds are you’ve become well acquainted with his highlights.
Tack those on to last week’s 75-yard punt return score and Kansas has a legit breakaway threat.
Jake Sharp and Jocques Crawford once again were thoroughly disappointing with just 14 carries and 41 yards combined. My ‘One-Three Punch’ theory should be shelved for the time being as Angus Quigley continued to pick up the two’s slack on the ground — although paydirt still eludes him.
You couldn’t ask for more from Kansas’ defensive unit. A shutout is as good as it gets. There is nothing to complain about here. Maybe save for that nearly nine minute drive they surrendered to the Bulldogs.
But that drive ended in a Chris Harris interception and was succeeded by a scoring drive less than half as long as the Bulldogs’ attempt.
Big play turnovers will be needed in the games ahead, as will quick scoring drives.
Before kickoff in Lawrence, Pirates running back Jonathan Williams and signal caller Patrick Pinkney were well on their way to securing a second straight shocker.
Pinkney, darting around the field and compiling near-perfect passing stats, looked like Eli Manning during the New York Giants’ Super Bowl run last winter.
Williams tore through any and all tacklers, throwing video-game moves that should leave the Jayhawks ground game green with envy.
This week East Carolina is ranked No. 14 in the Associated Press Poll and No. 20 in the USA Today/Coaches’ Poll.
This is no ordinary year for the Pirates and Kansas could tell them all about unprecedented seasons.
The stage is now set for the two teams, both 2-0, to meet early January. East Carolina will win out and Kansas will continue to improve and silence doubters this year.
Momentum has propelled the two so far.
The Jayhawks are riding a three-game win streak dating back to their Orange Bowl title.
The Pirates closed 2007 with a Hawaii Bowl win against a team no stranger to disrupting the BCS’s plans either — former Fiesta Bowl champs Boise State.
— Edited by Rachel Burchfield
Discussion
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The EAST CAROLINA Pirates are #14 in the AP poll this week NOT Eastern Carolina.
Seriously, thanks for the love, but do your homework....East Carolina University. Maybe you guys should stick with basketball.......thanks for taking care of the Tarholes last year.
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