It’s not often the Kansas Jayhawks basketball team has to wait until almost Christmas to surpass the football team’s win total, but 2007 was a season like no other in Lawrence. One thing the basketball Jayhawks were able to do that the football version failed at; winning the 12th game after an 11-0 start. Kansas’ loss to Missouri kept them out of the Big 12 Championship and a chance at the national title, but Kansas did jump back over the Tigers and into the BCS, after Oklahoma took the conference crown.
The 2007 Jayhawks did, however, put up basketball-like point totals on their opponents this season, highlighted by a 76-39 throttling of Nebraska, and setting into motion the hiring of Tom Osborne and the firing of Bill Callahan. Kansas went through the season undefeated, and putting up games of 52, 62, 55, 58 and 76 points. The team won at Kansas State and at Colorado, and defeated three bowl-bound teams. Going into the Missouri game, Kansas had received several first place votes in the polls and were ranked 2nd in the country. But the Tigers broke their hearts at Arrowhead, relegating Kansas out of the national championship picture.
The team features a talented young quarterback, who was talked about plenty in the weeks leading up to the Heisman award, in sophomore Todd Reesing, who has thrown for over 3200 yards and has 32 touchdown tosses compared to merely 6 interceptions. The offense also features a 100 yard rusher in senior Brandon McAnderson, who is complemented well by sophomore Jake Sharp, who has nearly 800 yards rushing himself. Senior Receiver Marcus Henry is 6 yards and 1 touchdown away from reaching 1000 and 10 for the season. Defensively, they are led by talented junior corner Aqib Talib, who has 4 interceptions on the year, and junior linebackers Joe Mortensen and James Holt, both over 90 tackles, and among the conference leaders in tackles for loss. They are led by head coach Mark Mangino, in his sixth season. Mangino was the recipient of the Walter Camp Coach of the Year award.-- ruuuuudiii
TEAM BACKGROUND
Like for their counterparts, 2007 was also a year like no other for the Virginia Tech Hokies, but not for football reasons. The Hokies have been a team to beat in the Big East, and now the ACC as well as nationally for the better part of a decade now. However, this season they began in the nation’s spotlight, after the tragedy that struck Blacksburg earlier in the year. The Hokies started the season with an unimpressive win over East Carolina, and they followed that with a trip to Baton Rouge, returning home suffering a 48-7 defeat to LSU. Since that game however, Virginia Tech can make as good a claim as anybody that they have been the best football team in the nation. They did suffer another setback to Matt Ryan and the Boston College Eagles, which they later avenged to the tune of 30-16 in the ACC Championship game, claiming the conference crown.
Virginia Tech had another great year of football in 2007, posting 2 separate 5 game winning streaks, and hoping to extend the current one to six. With the exception of the loss to LSU, the Hokies have played great defensive football, never allowing more than 23 points per game. The Hokies posted convincing wins over Miami, Florida State and Virginia in successive weeks on their way to the conference title.
Virginia Tech is led at quarterback by junior Sean Glennon, who has thrown for over 1600 yards and 11 touchdowns, with three interceptions. Freshman Tyrod Taylor also got into ten games, posting 916 yards passing with 5 touchdowns and 2 interceptions, while adding 6 touchdowns and 431 yards rushing. Defensively, the Hokies are led by a pair of senior linebackers, Xavier Adibi and Vince Hall, and cornerback Brandon Flowers, a junior who leads the team with 5 interceptions. Senior Defensive end Chris Ellis leads the team with 8.5 sacks. The Head coach for the Hokies is Frank Beamer, in his 21st season at the helm of his alma mater. -- ruuuuudiii
Player to Watch Aqib Talib – Junior CB - #3 Talib could become one of the most sought after corners in the draft, if he chooses to declare. Talib’s stock as a top notch corner has risen consistently, and he may be picked in the first round of the 2008 NFL draft. Talib was named to the SI.com All American 2nd team last year, and was named a Playboy preseason All American for 2007, and backed it up with a stellar season, racking up All American honors from the NCAA and the AP, and he won the Jack Tatum award as the nation’s best defensive back.-- ruuuuudiii
Player to Watch Xavier Adibi – Senior LB - #11 Adibi led the Hokies defensively 108 tackles, including 12 for a loss, as well as 3 sacks and 2 interceptions. Adibi was named an AP All American, making the third team, as well as the Coaches Association team. Adibi will be a highly sought prospect in the draft, but will need a very impressive combine to make his way into the 1st round. As of now, he probably stands somewhere in the low 2nd to high 3rd round.-- ruuuuudiii
Kansas Jayhawks offense vs. Virginia Tech Hokies defense
This is obvious, but here is some background regarding this matchup. The Jayhawks score 44.3 points per game, the Hokies allow 15.5. Kansas averages 196.6 yards per game rushing, while the Hokies allow 86.0. The Jayhawks pass for 294.5 yards per game while the Hokies allow only 207.3 yards passing. The difference in total yards generated by the Jayhawks offense (491.1) and allowed by the Hokies defense (293.3) is nearly 200. Something will have to give here. Is Virginia Tech’s defense good enough to ground the Kansas offense, or will the Jayhawks manage to out-point the Hokies at the end? -- ruuuuudiii
#3 Virginia Tech Hokies 
It’s not often the Kansas Jayhawks basketball team has to wait until almost Christmas to surpass the football team’s win total, but 2007 was a season like no other in Lawrence. One thing the basketball Jayhawks were able to do that the football version failed at; winning the 12th game after an 11-0 start. Kansas’ loss to Missouri kept them out of the Big 12 Championship and a chance at the national title, but Kansas did jump back over the Tigers and into the BCS, after Oklahoma took the conference crown.
Like for their counterparts, 2007 was also a year like no other for the Virginia Tech Hokies, but not for football reasons. The Hokies have been a team to beat in the Big East, and now the ACC as well as nationally for the better part of a decade now. However, this season they began in the nation’s spotlight, after the tragedy that struck Blacksburg earlier in the year. The Hokies started the season with an unimpressive win over East Carolina, and they followed that with a trip to Baton Rouge, returning home suffering a 48-7 defeat to LSU. Since that game however, Virginia Tech can make as good a claim as anybody that they have been the best football team in the nation. They did suffer another setback to Matt Ryan and the Boston College Eagles, which they later avenged to the tune of 30-16 in the ACC Championship game, claiming the conference crown.
Aqib Talib – Junior CB - #3
Xavier Adibi – Senior LB - #11
