Charlie Weis is a big man who operates on surgically repaired legs.
Still, the second-year coach at Kansas could not help but get in on the celebration in the Jayhawks’ locker room after they ended a 27-game Big 12 losing streak by downing West Virginia, 31-19.
“I thought he was going to break a knee again,” said center Gavin Howard. “I was a little worried for him jumping up and down. I was like, ‘Man, coach, you might have to have surgery again after that one.’ ”
The risk was worth it, and just when critics were wondering if the risk to hire Weis would pay off for Kansas. After going winless in the Big 12 through his first season, the skid extended to an 0-6 start in conference play this year. Weis still needs another win to match the 5-19 overall mark posted by his predecessor, Turner Gill, who was fired after two seasons.
Now, however, there is finally some joy on the Kansas campus as students rushed the field and tore down the south goal post before carting it off to a campus pond. That tradition has usually been reserved for wins over ranked opponents or heated rivals.
But things had gotten so desperate that any win against a Big 12 rival was cause for celebration. Why, West Virginia was not even part of the Big 12 the last time Kansas (3-7, 1-6 Big 12) prevailed in league play. That win, on Nov. 6, 2010, was against Colorado, a program that no longer is part of the conference.
The Mountaineers actually struck for a touchdown on their first drive before all of the Jayhawks’ points went unanswered. Relying on a new starter at quarterback, true freshman Montell Cozart, to steer a ground-oriented attack, Kansas rushed for 315 yards. Senior running back James Sims erupted for 211 yards on 22 carries, including three touchdowns.
Sims was a freshman when Kansas last won a conference game. He scored four touchdowns against Colorado that day as the Jayhawks used a furious fourth-quarter rally to pull out a wild win.
“When you look at it, it’s crazy to think it’s been (three) years since we won a Big 12 game,” Sims said. “But it’s an amazing feeling. I feel like this one is better because we got on top and stayed on top.”
Weis was treated to a sideline shower as the Jayhawks doused their coach with a cooler of ice water. At that point, Weis was happy to finally end the lengthy conference skid after snapping a 22-game losing streak against FBS opponents with a Sept. 21 win against Louisiana Tech.
“When a team is struggling, the big question is, ‘Are they going to throw in the towel?”‘ Weis said. “And every week, they’re resilient. They come back fighting every week. This week it paid off.”
Some streaks remain intact, however. When Kansas visits Iowa State on Nov. 23, the Jayhawks will be looking to snap a 23-game road losing streak dating to a Sept. 12, 2009 win at UTEP. Kansas has lost 20 consecutive Big 12 road games.
FIVE BIGGEST TAKEAWAYS FROM WEEK 12 IN THE BIG 12:
1. Oklahoma State is rolling and ready to match up with Baylor after belting Texas and handing the Longhorns their first Big 12 defeat. QB Clint Chelf is confident operating the Cowboys attack, while defense and special teams continue to contribute with huge plays. Look out, Bears.
2. Baylor is not so shabby, either. The Bears allowed two quick touchdowns to Texas Tech, yet were not even fazed. Playing without their top receiver (Tevin Reese) and top rusher (Lache Seastrunk), the Bears still gained a whopping 675 yards behind QB Bryce Petty’s steady hand.
3. Oklahoma needed a 91-yard punt return by Jalen Saunders to go in at halftime tied with Iowa State, but the Sooners then sprung three touchdown rushes exceeding 50 yards to outlast the Cyclones. Bob Stoops tied Barry Switzer atop the Oklahoma coaching chart with 157 wins.
4. Kansas State continues its late-season push, claiming its fourth straight win on a 41-yard field goal by Jack Cantele with three seconds remaining to nip TCU. The outcome wrecked the return of Horned Frogs coach Gary Patterson, who was a walk-on for the Wildcats in the early 1980s.
5. Texas dropped out of the Big 12 lead with its first conference defeat as Mack Brown absorbed his worst home defeat in 16 years as the Longhorns coach. QB Case McCoy threw three interceptions and Texas never got untracked offensively.