Kansas State University Athletics
Kansas State University
4-5 , 1-4
.png&width=60&height=60&type=webp)
Kansas
6-3 , 3-2
Wildcats Drop Sunflower Showdown
Nov 01, 2008 | Football
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP)Lamark Brown rushed for three scores but Jake Sharp had 257 total yards and tied a school record with four touchdowns, as Kansas defeated rival Kansas State 52-21 on Saturday.
Kansas (6-3, 3-2 Big 12) was reeling after giving up more than 1,200 yards in losses to Oklahoma and Texas Tech the previous two weeks. The Jayhawks bounced back quickly, defeating Kansas State (4-5, 1-4) in the 106th meeting between the instate rivals.
Kansas ran for six touchdowns, one short of the school record and harassed Kansas State quarterback Josh Freeman into four turnovers, giving him 14 during Kansas' first three-game winning streak in the Sunflower Showdown since 1988-90.
Brown was the only bright spot for Kansas State, scoring on runs of 4, 11 and 1 yards, though all three came after the game was out of reach.
Sharp had 118 yards on nine carries and scored on runs of 4, 20 and 47 yards in the first quarter to put Kansas up 21-0. Sharp added a 2-yard touchdown run in the third to put Kansas up 45-7 and finished with a career-best 181 yards rushing. He also caught five passes for 76 yards.
On the other side of the ball, Kansas gave Freeman fits again.
The junior had five interceptions and four fumbles his first two games against Kansas, and had given the ball away three more times before the first half was over in this one.
Freeman threw an interception on his third pass attempt of the game, the ball fluttering into the hands of Kansas' Russel Brorsen at the Jayhawks' 42 after he was hit from behind by defensive end Jake Laptad. Sharp scored 70 seconds later, bursting off right tackle on a 20-yard run.
Freeman finally got the Wildcats going late in the second quarter, converting a pair of fourth downs to get the Wildcats to the 1-yard line, only to lose the ball while trying to reach over the goal line. Kansas recovered and methodically marched 80 yards for a 15-yard touchdown run by quarterback Todd Reesing to go up 31-0.
Freeman's third turnover of the first half came on a Hail Mary pass in the end zone after Kansas State knocked down Jacob Branstetter's 33-yard field goal try, it's nation-best eighth blocked kick of the season. Freeman also fumbled in the third quarter. Kansas State recovered and threw his third interception in the fourth.
Team Stats
.png&width=32&height=32&type=webp)
KS 0, KU 7
KU - Sharp, Jake 4 yd run (Branstetter, Ja kick), 11 plays, 81 yards, TOP 4:05
KS 0, KU 14
KU - Sharp, Jake 20 yd run (Branstetter, Ja kick), 4 plays, 52 yards, TOP 1:10
KS 0, KU 21
KU - Sharp, Jake 47 yd run (Branstetter, Ja kick), 3 plays, 56 yards, TOP 1:19
KS 0, KU 24
KU - Branstetter, Ja 33 yd field goal 9 plays, 41 yards, TOP 3:51
KS 0, KU 31
KU - Reesing, Todd 15 yd run (Branstetter, Ja kick), 10 plays, 80 yards, TOP 5:04
KS 7, KU 31
KS - Brown, Lamark 4 yd run (Rossman, Brooks kick), 9 plays, 70 yards, TOP 4:32
KS 7, KU 38
KU - Briscoe, Dezmon 3 yd pass from Reesing, Todd (Branstetter, Ja kick) 9 plays, 78 yards, TOP 3:35
KS 7, KU 45
KU - Sharp, Jake 2 yd run (Branstetter, Ja kick), 2 plays, 29 yards, TOP 0:33
KS 14, KU 45
KS - Brown, Lamark 11 yd run (Rossman, Brooks kick), 10 plays, 80 yards, TOP 3:36
KS 14, KU 52
KU - Quigley, Angus 7 yd run (Branstetter, Ja kick), 1 plays, 19 yards, TOP 0:10
KS 21, KU 52
KS - Brown, Lamark 1 yd run (Rossman, Brooks kick), 9 plays, 62 yards, TOP 3:43
