Kansas Football: 2019 Sunflower Showdown biggest in over a decade

Kansas football is on a high after their last second defeat over the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Now, the Jayhawks host in-state rival Kansas State in the biggest Sunflower Showdown match-up in well over a decade.

November 1st, 2008 is the last time the Kansas Jayhawks upended the Kansas State Wildcats on the football field. That 2008 season was the last truly special season the Jayhawks had and while they’ve only won three games to this point, the 2019 campaign is shaping up to be one of the best in recent memory.

Kansas has a chance to really prove they’re on their way to relevance again this weekend when they host K-State in the annual Sunflower Showdown. The Sunflower Showdown has been going on since 1902 and the Jayhawks lead the all-time series 64-47 (though let’s keep in mind that Kansas State was AWFUL until Bill Snyder got to Manhattan).

That being said, KU has lost the last ten battles to their in-state foe, and while some people think it could end up being 11 straight after Saturday, this game could be a heck of a lot closer than people will expect.

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Kansas State is ranked, sitting at 22 in the national polls after having knocked off the fifth ranked Oklahoma Sooners last week. Considering KU got the doors blown off of them by Oklahoma, one would think KSU has the edge this weekend, but again, the Jayhawks aren’t to be taken lightly anymore.

This is also the biggest Sunflower Showdown for the Jayhawks since that 2008 season when they absolutely demolished the Wildcats to the tune of 52-21. It’s doubtful that KU fans expected that to be the last time their team would handle K-State for over a decade, but the program fell into a major sinkhole after Mark Mangino was relieved of his duties.

Now, however, Les Miles is in Lawrence and he’s slowly, but surely turning things around. That was proven by KU’s road victory over Boston College early in the season when they popped the Eagles in the mouth. It was also indicated again last week when the Jayhawks won a “you’d have to see it to believe it” type of play to win the game over Texas Tech.

Just for the heck of it, I looked up ticket prices for the game this weekend and the cheapest available ticket on Ticketmaster was $58. A few weeks ago, it’d have been more like $18. Yes, K-State fans are likely snatching up those tickets too, but don’t think for a second that this game isn’t important to Kansas football fans.

Kansas State might be ranked, but Kansas is fired up and motivated and with a hyped up crowd, this could end up being a very memorable Sunflower Showdown.