The Salina Journal from Salina, Kansas • Page 19

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2006 SAUNA JOURNAL Sports COLLEGE FOOTBALL C2-3 BASEBALL C4 PRO FOOTBALL C5 NEBRASKA 39, KANSAS 32 KU rallies from 17-0 deficit but falls in overtime to No. 21 Huskers By ERIC OLSON The Associated Press LINCOLN, Neb. So many games between Nebraska and Kansas at Memorial Stadium have been over by the fourth quarter This time, that's when things got interesting. After No. 21 Nebraska blew a 17-point lead, Cody Glenn scored from a yard out in the first overtime and the Huskerd' defense held Kansas out of the end zone for a 39-32 victory Saturday night.

"I couldn't believe it was happening," Glenn said. "We scored the second play of the game, so I was thinking we were just continuing on from last week. For them to come back like that, I was shocked. We had to dig down deep." The Huskers, coming off a 56-0 rout of Troy State, led 24-10 at half and looked as if they might roll Kansas, just as they have done most other years this game has been played in Lincoln. In 18 previous meetings, all Nebraska wins, the Huskers had won by an average of 35 points.

But Adam Barmann, who threw three interceptions and fumbled in the first half, led Kansas on two long touchdown drives in the final 6:32 to force overtime. Nebraska Big 12) got the ball first in OT. Zac Taylor hit Nate Swift along the sideline with a 21-yard pass to the Kansas 1. KU coach Mark Mangino challenged whether the catch was good, but the call was upheld on video review. Glenn then bulled into the end zone.

Kansas (3-2, 0-1) moved to the 9 on its possession, but Barmann overthrew Marcus Henry in the end zone on The Associated Press Nebraska wide receiver Frantz Hardy partially loses his helmet while being tackled by KU cornerback AqibTalib (left) and Russell Brorsen in the first half. Hardy was a thorn in the Jayhawks' side, catching touchdown passes of 78 and 75 yards. fourth down, ending the Jay- hawks' upset bid. "We won. That's about all we did.

We obviously didn't play our best ball," linebacker Stewart Bradley said. "When you play a bad game, it's nice to get out with a win. It says something about the character of our team to be done, to have the lead, lose it and come back and win in overtime." The Huskers avenged last year's 40-15 loss in Lawrence, which ended a 36-game Cornhuskers' winning streak in the series. "I think it's cause for celebration," Taylor said. "We're Mistakes cost 'Cats Fumbles each half deep in Baylor territory cost K-State; Freeman takes over at QB By ARNE GREEN Salim Journal WACO, Texas Not even Baylor could cure what ails the Kansas pip -tn State Wildcats against the Big 12 South.

K-State Neither could quarter- back Josh Freeman, though that could change soon. Baylor turned a pair of K-State turnovers and a punt coverage breakdown into points Saturday night to hand the Wildcats their seventh straight loss to the South, 17-3, in front of 30,752 at Floyd Casey Stadium. In the process, the Bears also hastened a changing of the guard under center for the Wildcats, who fell to 3-2 overall while ping their sixth consecutive league opener. K-State coach Ron Prince indicated that Freeman, a true freshman, will be the Wildcats' new starter after relieving senior Dylan Meier at the beginning of the second half "We thought Josh gave us the best chance to move the ball in the second half," Prince said of the initial switch. "We made the decision and that's one we're going to live with.

"Josh is going to be our quarterback for the foreseeable future." Freeman did not make a big splash, hitting just 11 of 33 passes for 196 yards with three interceptions, though he almost put the Wildcats in the end zone on a 68-yard completion to Yamon Figurs that Figurs fumbled away at the Baylor 12-yard line. "I knew it was a fumble when I heard the crowd cheer," Freeman said of the play, which came with Baylor up 14-3 midway through the third quarter. "At first I thought it was just a long play See "CATS, Page C3 1-0 in conference play If we had won by 60, we would still be 1-0. It's tough that we blew that lead. That's really disappointing.

That was a good team we were going against, and I'll take any win." Taylor completed 15-of-33 passes for 395 yards. Bar- mann was 27-for-54 for 405 yards, and Jon Cornish ran 31 times for 145 yards and a touchdown. Nebraska's offense went flat after it built the 24-7 lead. The Huskers saw six straight possessions go See CLOSE, Page C3 iiiiillliss The Associated Press K-State's Jermaine Moreira Is jarred loose of the ball by Baylor's QueitoTeasley while fielding a second-quarter punt. Moreira recovered.

Subtly, consistent Gordon second in Chase NASCAR What: Banquet 400 Where: Kansas City, Kan. Track: Kansas Speedway (Iri-ovai, 1,5 miies, 15 degrees banking in turns When: Today (NBC, 12:30 p.m). Forecast: Sunny, higii of 90. Race distance: 400 miles, 267 iaps. Defending champion: Martin.

Polesltter: Kasey Kahne. Points leader: Jeff Burton. By RICK IVIINTER Cox News Service KANSAS CITY, Kan. Given his stature and standmg in NASCAR, it seems odd that Jeff Gordon could be second intheNextel Cup standings, just six points out of the lead, but a bit ignored by fans Gordon and media. The attention this fall has been on Kasey Kahne, the pole- sitter for today's Banquet 400 at Kansas Speedway, as he gled to get a berth in the championship-deciding Chase for the Nextel Cup despite leading the series in race victories with five.

And there's been lots of focus on the resurging Richard Childress Racing team, with drivers Kevin Harvick and Jeff Burton, the current points leader, both in the top five in points after missing the first two Chases. But during the past six races, Gordon has accumulated 900 points, second only to Matt Kenseth's 951. With the exception of a disappointing 31st- place run at Richmond, all of Gordon's finishes have been in the top five. And one more tel Cup race win will give him 76, tying him with the late Dale Earnhardt for sixth on NASCAR's all-time list. Still, he's been somewhat ignored, which he says is OK with him.

"We haven't been in the spotlight as much as the guys who have won the last couple of races, but I am totally fine with that," Gordon said. "I like being a little more under the radar at this point." He said the points lead brings pressure that he can do just as well without at this point. "It is a little more comforting to be right where we are at right now, we are right in the thick of it, so close," he said. cy is what it is all about for us. The way things are going for our team, I just couldn't be happier." There seems to be no consensus in the garage as far as which team and driver have the most momentum three races into the Chase, but Gordon said he and his crew are coming close.

"What I am happiest about is we have been steadily gaining as a team and getting better, the chemistry getting better, teamwork, communication and performance all of those things," he said. "Then the Chase started, and that is when it is time for you elevate everything to the 49ERS AT CHIEFS When: Today, noon. Where: Arrowhead Stadium. Records: 49ers 1-2; Cliiefs 0-2. TV: Fox.

Radio: KILS, 92.7-FM. Line: Chiefs by 7. Chiefs need a victory Season's not yet a month old and KC in a 'must-win' game By DOUG TUCKER The Associated Press KANSAS CITY, Mo. A game they absolutely, positively cannot afford to lose wasn't supposed to come this quickly Yet, quarterback Trent Green is sidelined with head trauma. The offensive line is in turmoil.

The entire offensive approach is in flux and the defense is showing progress, but still working to adapt to a new way of going about the job. The Kansas City Chiefs under Herm Edwards are 0-2, so expect a fired-up home team when the San Francisco 49ers and rapidly improving second-year quarterback Alex Smith hit town today An 0-3 start, just their second since 1980, would likely doom the Chiefs to a 13th consecutive year without a postseason victory Coming off an encouraging 10-6 campaign, they were hoping for better "We can't afford to be 0-3," said wide receiver Eddie Kennison. "This is a must-win for us. I think everybody in the locker room will probably agree with that." Damon Huard will be the first quarterback whose name is not Trent Green to start a home game for KC since Elvis Grbac left the building in 2000. Green, injured in the opener Sept.

10, is out indefinitely. See CHIEFS, Page C5 Coyotes handle Ottawa Schropp has hand in five 5 TDs as KW generates 447 yards By BOB DAVIDSON Salina Journal OTTAWA Hello offense, nice to see ya. At last. Oh, and a good evening to you, 4-0. Pro KCAC pelledbya Ottawa 19 suddenly Wesleyan 42 juggernaut offense led by freshman quarterback Justin Schropp, tailbacks Dechad Ward and Barrel Grames and wide receiver Marcus Lowe, No.

12- ranked Kansas Wesleyan steamrolled to an impressive 42-19 Kansas Conference victory over Ottawa Saturday night at Steve Grogan Field. The victory raises KWU's record to 4-0 while Ottawa falls to 0-4. Schropp, a true freshman, showed the brilliance he displayed last fall in leading Southeast of Saline to the Class 3A state championship. Schropp had 231 yards in the game 88 passing and 143 rushing. He ran for two See GORDON, Page C7 See COYOTES, Page C3 II TUIMEUP 1122m.

Ninth I27-44E1 1-raB-77BUf1 SUGGESTIONS? CALL BOB DAVIDSON, SPORTS EDITOR, AT 822-1404 OR 1-800-827-6363 OR E-MAIL AT.