There is a notable Country song that was recorded by numerous artists including Ray Price, Buck Owens and Dwight Yoakam that includes the lyrics, “I’ve got heartaches by the number, troubles by the score.” It’s hard to imagine any major college football program that has more troubles than Kansas but there just might be……………………………and the Jayhawks play them this Saturday. Rutgers!

How’s this for “heartaches by the number, troubles by the score?” Eleven Rutgers football players have recently been arrested, including five current members of the team. Those five have been dismissed.  Following a home loss to Washington State on September 12, head coach Kyle Flood was handed a 3-game suspension for trying to influence a professor’s grade of a starting cornerback to keep him eligible. The athletic director, Julie Hermann, has been essentially “missing in action”.  Three veteran starters have been ruled “questionable” for the KU game due to injuries. “I’ve got heartaches by the number…………………………..”!

Mix that in with the fact that New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is not doing so well in the Republican run for President and folks from the Garden State are reeling! Can they even beat the Kansas Jayhawks? This will be closer than it should have been because KU is pumped and Rutgers is dumped but still, it is a road game for the Jayhawks and we all know that Kansas road wins are about as common as democratic victories in Kansas! Rutgers 41, Kansas 33.
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CHALK TALK: One of the Budweiser Clydesdale’s has given birth to a baby (It’s still huge) colt and they’ve named it after Mike (Moose) Moustakas of the Kansas City Royals. Since then, a few weeks ago, the Royals have come up like a bunch of nags. Let’s hope that gets fixed before the playoffs! | How many games have the Larned Indians JUST MISSED winning in the fourth quarter over the past 2-3 years? It happened again last week at Kingman as penalties blunted a late-game drive. Too many penalties have plagued the Indians in their two losses this year.  The Tribe needs to be focused for an improved Nickerson team Friday. I like Larned 24-19. | Tim Tebow the next Cowboys quarterback? Texas Governor Greg Abbott has suggested it via his Twitter account. Hey, the ‘Boys could do a lot worse! | The Denver Broncos awarded game balls to Brandon Marshall and Peyton Manning following their miracle win over the Chiefs in Arrowhead last week. They SHOULD have awarded one to Chiefs’ running back Jamal Charles who fumbled twice in the game, including the game-clincher with 30 seconds left. | Great Bend’s Panthers hit the road again this week traveling to 0-3 Wichita North. The Redskins have suffered three blowout losses. Meanwhile Great Bend continues to show improved offensive play, becoming a more well-rounded football team. This is a game the Panthers could and should win, improving to 3-1 before finishing with key WAC games against Dodge City and Liberal, staying in the hunt for a possible league championship before beginning district play. Great Bend 35-14. | Did Mark Mangino say this? “The advantage of exercising every day is so when you die, they’ll say, ‘Well, he looks good doesn’t he?” | We could be looking at an undefeated regular season for the Hoisington Cardinals. The sternest test would be Oct. 2 against Kingman and that is a home game.  The three district games for the Cardinals look to be wins. Of course the coaching staff doesn’t like this kind of talk but the Cards are looking good! | Kansas State has the first of their two bye weeks this weekend and the Cats need it! Though they are 3-0 they’ve been very inconsistent against mediocre competition. Most Bill Snyder-coached teams show big improvement in bye weeks and I would guess we will see that again as he prepares the Wildcats for a key Big 12 opener next week at Oklahoma State. | ”It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.” Those words were never more poignant than Tuesday as one of baseball’s heroes , Yogi Berra, passed away. It might be over on this earth for Yogi but, Oh My, what fun they are going to have in the Heavenlies!