Kansas to host K-State in Dillons Sunflower Showdown

Beginning in August 2017, fans will be allowed to bring only one clear plastic bag no larger than 12 inches by 6 inches by 12 inches or a one-gallon, clear, resealable plastic storage bag per person inside Kansas athletics events.

Fans will also be allowed a small clutch purse not to exceed 5.5 inches by 8.5 inches.

More on new bag policy

Keith Loneker Jr. (47) is one of 23 Jayhawks from the state of Kansas. 

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Returning home after two straight road games, Kansas football is set to welcome in-state rival Kansas State for the 2017 edition of the Dillons Sunflower Showdown. The game, which will air on FS1, is scheduled to kick off at 2 p.m. CDT.

vs. Kansas State: 66-43-5
Current Streak: Lost 8
Longest Win Streak: 10 (1956-65)
Longest Winless Streak: 11 (1993-2003)
Last 10 Games: 2-8
In Lawrence: 37-18-2
In Manhattan: 28-25-3
Neutral Sites: 0-0
Under David Beaty: 0-2
First Meeting: October 4, 1902 (W, 16-0)
Last Meeting: November 26, 2017 (L, 34-19)

KANSAS PROUD
Redshirt linebacker Joe Dineen Jr., comes from a long line of Jayhawks. His parents both graduated from KU. His mother was a volleyball player for the Jayhawks, his grandfather was a running back in the 60’s at KU and his great grandfather played basketball for legendary coach Phog Allen, so needless to say he has always bled Crimson & Blue.

His love for the school is displayed every time he takes the field with the passion he shows as a defensive leader. Dineen  enters the Dillons Sunflower Showdown ranked second in the nation in solo tackles, averaging 8.0 per game, and also ranks third in total tackles averaging 12.8 and sixth in tackles for loss per game with 1.9.

Dineen has recorded double-digit tackles in all but one game this season, including a 16-tackle performance against Iowa State to match a career-high set against West Virginia in 2015.

SUNFLOWER STATE OF MIND
The Jayhawks tout 23 players on the roster from the Sunflower State. Of the 23 Kansas natives, six hail from Lawrence, including defensive starters and Lawrence Free State High School alums Joe Dineen Jr., Keith Loneker Jr., and Bryce Torneden.

The former Firebirds will see a familiar face on the opposing sideline against Kansas State – sophomore offensive lineman Scott Frantz, who also graduated from Free State.

ON THIS DATE VS. KANSAS STATE
Kansas and Kansas State have squared off on October 28 five different times in the series history. In October 28 games, Kansas State leads the series 2-1-2.

October 28 games vs. Kansas State
Year, Location (Winner, Score)
1916, Lawrence (Tie, 0-0)
1922, Manhattan (Tie, 7-7)
1933, Lawrence (KSU, 6-0)
1989, Manhattan (KU, 21-16)
1995, Manhattan (KSU, 41-7)

FINDING WAYS TO MAKE PLAYS
Preseason Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Dorance Armstrong Jr., has been a focal point for opposing teams this season, and rightfully so after the junior defensive end recorded 20.0 tackles for loss as a sophomore. While his TFL numbers haven’t quite matched up to last year, Armstrong is still finding ways to contribute to KU’s defensive efforts.

Armstrong in the Jayhawks’ third leading tackler, behind redshirt junior linebacker Joe Dineen Jr., and sophomore safety Mike Lee. Armstrong has totaled 43 stops on the season, including 7.0 TFLs and 1.0 sacks, but he has also notched two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and has broken up three passes, two of which came against Iowa State, and six quarterback hurries.

SPREADING THE LOVE
Many quarterbacks find one or two receivers that they target heavily, but junior quarterback Peyton Bender is not afraid the spread his targets, and Kansas has had 14 different players record a reception so far this year. KU had nine different players with a catch in each of its first four games, and had eight players with a reception in the game against Texas Tech and seven against Iowa State. Only four Kansas players caught a pass against TCU, which brings the Jayhawks’ average to 7.9 receivers with a catch per game.

GROWING TRADITION
Linebacker Joe Dineen Jr., currently ranks second in FBS in solo tackles this season, averaging 8.0 per game, and ranks in the top-10 in two other major defensive categories (tackles for loss: 6th, total tackles: 3rd).

With these numbers, Dineen is part of what seems to be a growing tradition of KU players near the top of these categories every year. Last season, Mike Lee finished fourth in the nation in solo tackles while Fish Smithson ranked 11th, and Dorance Armstrong Jr., finished in sixth for tackles for loss per game. In 2015, Smithson led the nation in solo tackles, averaging 7.9 per game. Going back even further, Ben Heeney ranked second in solo tackles and 12th in total tackles in 2014.

THE WISE MAN
Seven games into the 2017 season, junior defensive tackle Daniel Wise shows no signs of regression from his impressive 2016 season and has nearly matched his tackle for loss total from last year. Wise has recorded 9.0 TFLs at just past the halfway mark of this season, after notching 10.0 all of last season.

RED ZONE FOCUS
Of the 20 trips Kansas has been in the red zone in 2017, the Jayhawks have came away with points in 19 of them, which ties for eighth in FBS in red zone scoring percentage. The Jayhawks have scored seven rushing touchdowns, six passing and have made six field goals.

The Jayhawks ended last season ranked 65th in the nation in red zone offense and was 94th among FBS teams through the first seven games.

RUI
Never seeing the field in a Division I game until this season, Kansas kicker Gabriel Rui has been a reliable source for the Jayhawks this year. On nine field goal attempts, Rui has been successful in eight, missing only a 37-yard attempt against Central Michigan. Rui has knocked home two field goals of 41 yards (vs. West Virginia and Texas Tech) to mark his longest makes.

BACKFIELD CRUSADERS
Redshirt junior linebacker Joe Dineen Jr., junior defensive tackle Daniel Wise and junior defensive end Dorance Armstrong Jr., have all shown their ability to make stops in the backfield this season. The trio have combined for 29.0 tackles for loss this year, with Dineen’s 13.0 leading the way.

OL’ RELIABLE
Junior wide receiver Steven Sims Jr., is a key factor of the Jayhawk offense and has been since he first stepped on the field in the Crimson and Blue. In 30 career games, Sims has caught a pass in all but one. His lone game without a catch was week two this season, where he tried to battle through an injury but ultimately sat out the majority of the game. Sims was never targeted in the game, but by taking the field he unfortunately snapped a 24-game streak of catching a pass. Nevertheless, he bounced back in week three with six catches for 60 yards.

With his 24-game reception streak, Sims was just one of four players to do so since 2006 for Kansas. Kerry Meier, Dezmon Briscoe and Dexton Fields each had streaks of 20-plus games with a reception.

SAVING HIS BEST FOR LAST
In his final year in the Crimson and Blue, senior tight end Ben Johnson has been a major contributor for the Kansas offense thus far. Through seven games, Johnson has recorded 22 receptions for 285 yards and one touchdown, averaging 3.1 receptions per game, 12.95 yards per catch and 40.7 yards per game. His 22 receptions marks a new single-season career high for Johnson.

If Johnson’s production continues at a similar pace, he would give himself the chance to have one of the best seasons by a tight end in Kansas history. In 2014, Johnson’s redshirt freshman year, Jimmay Mundine recorded 564 receiving yards, the most ever by a tight end at Kansas.

PASSING THE KANSAS COMET
Sophomore running back Khalil Herbert recorded a career-high 137 rushing yards against Ohio, scoring two touchdowns along the way. If that wasn’t enough to be considered a breakout performance, Herbert made headlines by following his week three performance with 291 yards on the ground and two more touchdowns against West Virginia in week four.

Herbert’s 291 rushing yards was the most in FBS in 2017 at the time and surpassed the Kansas Comet Gale Sayers for the third-most rushing yards in a single game in Kansas history. Sayers held the third-place spot with a 283-yard rushing game against Oklahoma State in 1962.

FASTEST TO 1,000
In his first seven games at Kansas, junior quarterback Peyton Bender has recorded 1,429 yards on 129-of-237 passing. Bender became the fastest Jayhawk to reach 1,000 career passing yards in the 127-year history of the program when he did so in just three games in the Crimson and Blue.

The next-fastest KU quarterbacks to reach 1,000 career passing yards were Jordan Webb (2010-12) and Bill Whittemore (2002-03), who each reached 1,000 career passing yards in their first six games. Three other Kansas quarterbacks reached 1,000 yards in their first seven career appearances; Ryan Willis (2015-16), Kerry Meier (2006-09) and Mike Norseth (1984-85).

CAPTAINS OF THE SHIP
Voted on by team members, the 2017 Kansas football captains are junior defensive tackle Daniel Wise, junior defensive end Dorance Armstrong Jr., junior linebacker Joe Dineen Jr., senior running back Denzell Evans and junior wide receiver Jeremiah Booker.

UP NEXT
The Jayhawks will welcome the Baylor Bears to Memorial Stadium on November 4 for the second-to-last home game of 2017. Kansas and Baylor are scheduled to kick off at 11 a.m., with the game airing on Fox Sports Net.
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