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Kansas–Kansas State football rivalry
First contestedOctober 4, 1902
Kansas 16, Kansas State 0
Number of meetings116
Most recent meetingNovember 10, 2018
Kansas State 21, Kansas 17
Next meetingNovember 2, 2019
All-time seriesKansas leads, 64–47–5
Largest victoryKansas State, 64–0 (2002)
Longest win streakKansas State, 11 (1993–2003)
Current streakKansas State, 10 (2009–present)

The Kansas–Kansas State football rivalry is an American college football rivalry between the Kansas Jayhawks football team of the University of Kansas and Kansas State Wildcats football team of Kansas State University, contested since 1902. The Governor's Cup is the trophy awarded to the winner of the game. It has been awarded every year since 1969. The rivalry is known as the Sunflower Showdown.

Kansas leads the overall series 64–47–5, including KU's forfeit of the 1980 game imposed by the Big Eight Conference.[1] (Kansas disputes the forfeit.) Kansas State leads the Governor's Cup series (since 1969) 30–19–1. The most recent game, played on November 10, 2018, was won by Kansas State 21–17.

History[]

Miniature KState Marching Band (Tiltshift) (3285903611)

The KSU Marching Band performs at halftime of the Sunflower Showdown in Lawrence in 2008

The two teams had a very long history prior to the inauguration of the Governor's Cup: they began play in 1902 and have faced each other every season since 1911, making this the sixth-longest continuous series in college football history.[A 1] With 116 games played, it is also the 2nd-longest rivalry between two public universities in the same state featuring the names "University of _ v. _ State University" (behind Oregon v. Oregon State). The University of Kansas built a large advantage in the series by 1923 (17–1–3), but the series has subsequently been much more even, with KU holding a slim 47–46–2 lead since that time.

The two schools disagree on the overall series record, though both agree Kansas leads the series. The difference arises from the 1980 game, which KU won 20–18 on the field. However, the Big Eight Conference ordered KU to forfeit the game after a player was ruled ineligible.[1] As a result, KU claims to lead the overall series 65–46–5, while Kansas State reports that KU leads 64–47–5.[2] Kansas cites NCAA policy to explain its refusal to reckon the 1980 game as a Kansas State win;[3][4] the policy states that NCAA schools must acknowledge forfeits imposed by the NCAA or those dictated by the rules of the game, without specifically referencing conference-imposed penalties.[3]

Trophies presented to the winner[]

The Governor's Cup is the third trophy associated with the rivalry. In 1902, in the first match-up, a "Governor's Trophy" was given to the winning team. Then, beginning in the 1940 football season, the winner of the KU-KSU contest received the "Peace Pact Trophy", which was miniature bronze goalposts. The trophy was intended to keep the winning team's student body from tearing down the loser's goalposts. However, as years went by, these trophies were forgotten.

Series overview[]

Statistic Kansas Kansas State
Games played 116
Wins 64 47
Ties 5 (1916, '22, '23, '66, '87)
Disputed 1 (1980)
Home wins 37 26
Road wins 27 21
Neutral site wins
Total points scored in the series 2060 1828
Most points scored in a game by one team 55 (1947) 64 (2002)
Most points scored in a game by both teams 80 (2011 – KSU 59, KU 21)
Fewest points scored in a game by both teams 0 (1916, 1923)
Fewest points scored in a game by one team in a win 5 (1909) 6 (4 times)
Most points scored in a game by one team in a loss 22 (1969) 29 (1968)
Largest margin of victory 55 (1947) 64 (2002)
Smallest margin of victory 1 (1967) 1 (1972)
Longest winning streak 10 (1956–65) 11 (1993–2003)

Notable games[]

1910: The cancelled game[]

Kansas and Kansas State have played each other in football every year since 1902, except for 1910.[5] The 1910 game was cancelled after the two teams were unable to agree to eligibility rules for the contest.[5] KU coach A. R. Kennedy tried to compel Kansas State to play the game by publishing provocative comments in the Lawrence newspaper in May 1910, but Kansas State coach Mike Ahearn refused to change his school's rules.[5]

1927–1933: Road wins[]

For seven straight years, from 1927 to 1933, the two teams alternated wins, with the visiting team winning every game in contrast to the usual home field advantage in sports. In the six games from 1928 to 1933, every game was also won by shutout.

1969: First Governor's Cup game[]

Kansas State won the first contest in the Governor's Cup series 26–22 on October 11, 1969, in Lawrence, Kansas. The game was a classic in the series, contested by two high-quality teams. Kansas was coming off an appearance in the Orange Bowl the previous season, led by future Pro Football Hall of Fame running back John Riggins, while Kansas State in 1969 was an offensive juggernaut led by quarterback Lynn Dickey and running back Mack Herron. The game was not decided until the final play, when two K-State defenders jarred the ball loose from a KU receiver in the end zone. The loss sent KU's season into an irreversible tailspin, and the Jayhawks, suffering greatly from the loss of Bobby Douglass and John Zook to the NFL, finished the season 1–9 despite Riggins' brilliance.

Following the game, Kansas State fans tore down the goalposts in KU's stadium – an act with a long history in the rivalry, and that K-State fans would repeat in 1994.

1980: The forfeit[]

On November 1, 1980, Kansas defeated Kansas State 20–18 in Manhattan, Kansas to take a 9–3 lead in the first dozen years the Governor's Cup was awarded. However, it was later determined that Kerwin Bell, a running back for Kansas in that game, was a partial qualifier despite his high school transcripts indicating otherwise and he was ruled academically ineligible at the time of the 1980 season.[6] In 1982 the Big Eight Conference ordered Kansas to forfeit three conference wins and one tie from the 1980 season, including its victory in the 1980 Governor's Cup game.[1] As a result, the two schools now dispute the overall record in both the Sunflower Showdown and more recent Governor's Cup series, with each school claiming victory in the 1980 game.

1987: The Toilet Bowl[]

The lone tie during the Governor's Cup era took place on November 7, 1987, in Manhattan, and is the most infamous game in the history of the series. Termed "The Toilet Bowl" and "The Futility Bowl" by national commentators, the game featured 1–7 KU and 0–8 K-State. The contest lived down to expectations and resulted in a 17–17 tie, which was secured when Kansas blocked a field goal at the end of the game.[7][8] Following the tie, both teams lost their last two games of the season. KU coach Bob Valesente was fired following the season. His counterpart Stan Parrish kept his job, but did not make it past 1988 after the Wildcats posted an 0–11 campaign to extend a winless streak to 28 games. Parrish's dismissal led to the hiring of Bill Snyder, who would shift the direction of the series in favor of the Wildcats.

1995: Two ranked teams[]

The only match-up in history of the rivalry while both teams were ranked occurred on October 28, 1995, in Manhattan.[9] The University of Kansas came into the game 7–0 and ranked #6 in the AP Poll, while Kansas State University was 5–1 and ranked #14. Both teams would finish the season ranked in the top ten, but this day belonged to Kansas State. KSU started strong and maintained the advantage throughout for a decisive 41–7 victory.

2004: Streak buster[]

An 11-year winning streak by Kansas State that began in 1993 – the longest by either team in the series – was broken on October 9, 2004, when KU won a back-and-forth 31–28 thriller in Lawrence.[10] The head coach of the Jayhawks was Mark Mangino, a former Wildcat assistant under KSU coach Bill Snyder. Mangino bested his mentor in Snyder's final visit to Memorial Stadium during Snyder's first term as KSU coach.

2007: Kansas wins in Manhattan[]

In 2007, KU won in Manhattan for the first time since 1989 and also posted its only victory ever over a ranked KSU team. Kansas entered the game 4–0 while Kansas State had a 3–1 record, but KSU was favored in the contest and ranked 24th in the AP Poll. Kansas overcame several mistakes through the course of the first half, tying the contest 14–14 at halftime. Following a strong second-half performance by KU, the visitors from Lawrence posted a 30–24 victory. Kansas went on to build an 11–0 record on the season before losing a game, and secured an at-large bid to the 2008 Orange Bowl.

2010: A century straight[]

For the 100th consecutive autumn, KU and KSU faced each other on the football field on October 14, 2010, in Lawrence. This was only the seventh college football rivalry in history played for a century straight. The game was the second since Bill Snyder returned to coach KSU and was reminiscent of earlier blowout Wildcat victories during Snyder's first tenure, with KSU claiming a 59–7 victory over KU. The 2010 victory by Kansas State was the second win in an active ten-game KSU winning streak over KU (tied for the second-longest winning streak in series history).

Most recent game[]

Kansas State defeated Kansas 21–17 in Manhattan on November 10, 2018.

Game results[]

Kansas victoriesKansas State victoriesTie gamesForfeits
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
1 1902 Lawrence Kansas 16–0
2 1903 Lawrence Kansas 34–0
3 1904 Manhattan Kansas 41–4
4 1905 Lawrence Kansas 28–0
5 1906 Manhattan Kansas State 6–4
6 1907 Lawrence Kansas 29–10
7 1908 Lawrence Kansas 12–6
8 1909 Manhattan Kansas 5–3
9 1911 Manhattan Kansas 6–0
10 1912 Lawrence Kansas 19–6
11 1913 Manhattan Kansas 26–0
12 1914 Lawrence Kansas 27–0
13 1915 Manhattan Kansas 19–7
14 1916 Lawrence Tie0–0
15 1917 Manhattan Kansas 9–0
16 1918 Lawrence Kansas 13–7
17 1919 Lawrence Kansas 16–3
18 1920 Manhattan Kansas 14–0
19 1921 Lawrence Kansas 21–7
20 1922 Manhattan Tie7–7
21 1923 Lawrence Tie0–0
22 1924 Manhattan Kansas State 6–0
23 1925 Lawrence Kansas State 14–7
24 1926 Manhattan Kansas State 27–0
25 1927 Lawrence Kansas State 13–2
26 1928 Manhattan Kansas 7–0
27 1929 Lawrence Kansas State 6–0
28 1930 Manhattan Kansas 14–0
29 1931 Lawrence Kansas State 13–0
30 1932 Manhattan Kansas 19–0
31 1933 Lawrence Kansas State 6–0
32 1934 Manhattan Kansas State 13–0
33 1935 Lawrence Kansas 9–2
34 1936 Manhattan Kansas State 26–6
35 1937 Lawrence Kansas State 7–0
36 1938 Manhattan Kansas 27–7
37 1939 Lawrence Kansas State 27–6
38 1940 Manhattan Kansas State 20–0
39 1941 Lawrence Kansas 20–16
40 1942 Manhattan Kansas 19–7
41 1943 Lawrence Kansas 25–2
42 1944 Manhattan Kansas State 24–18
43 1945 Lawrence Kansas 27–0
44 1946 Manhattan Kansas 34–0
45 1947 Lawrence Kansas 55–0
46 1948 Manhattan Kansas 20–14
47 1949 Lawrence Kansas 38–0
48 1950 Manhattan Kansas 47–7
49 1951 Lawrence Kansas 33–14
50 1952 Manhattan #9 Kansas 26–6
51 1953 Lawrence Kansas State 7–0
52 1954 Manhattan Kansas State 28–6
53 November 5, 1955 Lawrence Kansas State 46–0
54 November 3, 1956 Manhattan Kansas 20–15
55 November 9, 1957 Lawrence Kansas 13–7
56 November 1, 1958 Manhattan Kansas 21–12
57 October 16, 1959 Lawrence Kansas 33–14
58 September 23, 1960 Manhattan Kansas 41–0
59 November 11, 1961 Lawrence Kansas 34–0
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
60 November 3, 1962 Manhattan Kansas 38–0
61 November 2, 1963 Lawrence Kansas 34–0
62 October 31, 1964 Manhattan Kansas 7–0
63 October 30, 1965 Lawrence Kansas 34–0
64 October 29, 1966 Manhattan Tie3–3
65 November 4, 1967 Lawrence Kansas 17–16
66 November 16, 1968 Manhattan #7 Kansas 38–29
67 October 11, 1969 Lawrence Kansas State 26–22
68 October 10, 1970 Manhattan Kansas 21–15
69 October 9, 1971 Lawrence Kansas 39–13
70 October 13, 1972 Manhattan Kansas State 20–19
71 October 13, 1973 Lawrence #19 Kansas 25–18
72 October 12, 1974 Manhattan #19 Kansas 20–13
73 November 1, 1975 Lawrence Kansas 28–0
74 October 23, 1976 Manhattan Kansas 24–14
75 November 5, 1977 Lawrence Kansas 29–21
76 November 18, 1978 Manhattan Kansas State 36–20
77 November 3, 1979 Lawrence Kansas 36–28
78 November 1, 1980 Manhattan Kansas 20–18
79 October 24, 1981 Lawrence Kansas 17–14
80 October 23, 1982 Manhattan Kansas State 36–7
81 October 15, 1983 Lawrence Kansas 31–3
82 October 12, 1984 Manhattan Kansas State 24–7
83 October 19, 1985 Lawrence Kansas 38–7
84 October 18, 1986 Manhattan Kansas State 29–12
85 November 7, 1987 Manhattan Tie17–17
86 November 5, 1988 Lawrence Kansas 30–12
87 October 28, 1989 Manhattan Kansas 21–16
88 October 27, 1990 Lawrence Kansas 27–24
89 October 12, 1991 Manhattan Kansas State 16–12
90 October 10, 1992 Lawrence Kansas 31–7
91 October 9, 1993 Manhattan Kansas State 10–9
92 October 6, 1994 Lawrence #19 Kansas State 21–13
93 October 28, 1995 Manhattan #14 Kansas State 41–7
94 November 9, 1996 Lawrence #13 Kansas State 38–12
95 November 8, 1997 Manhattan #11 Kansas State 48–16
96 October 31, 1998 Lawrence #3 Kansas State 54–6
97 October 9, 1999 Manhattan #9 Kansas State 50–9
98 October 7, 2000 Lawrence #4 Kansas State 52–13
99 October 27, 2001 Manhattan Kansas State 40–6
100 November 2, 2002 Lawrence #14 Kansas State 64–0
101 October 25, 2003 Manhattan Kansas State 42–6
102 October 9, 2004 Lawrence Kansas 31–28
103 October 8, 2005 Manhattan Kansas State 12–3
104 November 18, 2006 Lawrence Kansas 39–20
105 October 7, 2007 Manhattan Kansas 30–24
106 November 1, 2008 Lawrence Kansas 52–21
107 November 7, 2009 Manhattan Kansas State 17–10
108 October 14, 2010 Lawrence Kansas State 59–7
109 October 22, 2011 Lawrence #12 Kansas State 59–21
110 October 6, 2012 Manhattan #7 Kansas State 56–16
111 November 30, 2013 Lawrence Kansas State 31–10
112 November 29, 2014 Manhattan #11 Kansas State 51–13
113 November 28, 2015 Lawrence Kansas State 45–14
114 November 26, 2016 Manhattan Kansas State 34–19
115 October 28, 2017 Lawrence Kansas State 30–20
116November 10, 2018 Manhattan Kansas State 21–17
Series: Kansas leads 64–46–5

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Sports People". New York Times. August 27, 1982. https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9503EEDE1738F934A1575BC0A964948260. Retrieved December 30, 2006.
  2. "KSU-KU Postgame Notes" (Press release). Kansas State University. November 18, 2006. http://www.kstatesports.com/pdf3/52444.pdf?&KEY=BLITLGORZZCGHDK.20061113231920&ATCLID=693520&SPID=212&DB_OEM_ID=400&SPSID=3065. Retrieved December 30, 2006.[dead link]
  3. 3.0 3.1 NCAA Statistics' Policies & Guidelines, NCAA, 2013, http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/ForSIDs/Policies.pdf, retrieved December 30, 2013
  4. Haskins, Kevin (October 24, 2006). "Jayhawk Notebook". The Capital-Journal. http://cjonline.com/stories/112406/end_kunotes.shtml. Retrieved December 30, 2013.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 Olson, Kevin (December 2, 2014). "1910: The lost year of the Sunflower Showdown". The Manhattan Mercury. http://themercury.com/k_state_sports/the-lost-year-of-the-sunflower-showdown/article_02a38fa8-540d-5de7-aea1-6d6fcf9deb82.html. Retrieved November 14, 2017.
  6. "Lawrence Journal-World - Google News Archive Search". google.com. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2199&dat=19821003&id=WpkyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VugFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6424,251982.
  7. "Jayhawks, K-State Battle to 17-17 Deadlock". Lawrence Journal-World. November 8, 1987. http://www2.kusports.com/news/1987/nov/08/jayhawks_kstate_battle_1717_deadlock/. Retrieved October 3, 2007.
  8. "Plunge Into History". Lawrence Journal-World. October 3, 2007. http://www2.kusports.com/news/2007/oct/03/plunge_history/?football. Retrieved October 3, 2007.
  9. "Showdown Comes With High Expectations". Topeka Capital-Journal. October 4, 2007. http://cjonline.com/stories/100407/cat_205174726.shtml. Retrieved October 5, 2007.
  10. "At Last!". Lawrence Journal-World. October 10, 2004. http://www2.kusports.com/news/2004/oct/10/at_last/. Retrieved October 3, 2007.

References[]


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