Gameday Preview: UCLA at Kansas State

Sept. 3, 20107:26 p.m.

9-19-09-99 UCLA
It’s been a while since Kansas State opened the season at home against a name opponent. Fourteen years to be exact.

Back then the Wildcats kicked off their first Big 12 season against Texas Tech. They won 21-14 and went on to a strong year that didn’t end until the Cotton Bowl.

K-State is trying to duplicate that kind of success Saturday against UCLA, and Manhattan is buzzing over the chance to watch. The game is officially sold out, and ABC will be in town to broadcast it to a national audience.

UCLA broke open a close game against K-State last year in Los Angeles to win 23-9, and the rematch should be even better. Stakes are high for both teams. In season-openers like this one, they always are. Read More »

By Kellis Robinett | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , Filed under Football, GAMEDAY | Comments

This week’s player to watch: Kai Forbath

Sept. 3, 20108:52 a.m.

KaiForbath The place kicker is normally one of the most overlooked players on any football team, but it’s impossible not to notice UCLA’s Kai Forbath.

The senior won the 2009 Lou Groza Award, was a consensus All-American last season and could have jumped to the NFL early if he wanted to. He connected on 28 of 31 field goal attempts, and the three he missed came from beyond 50 yards. At the 50-plus range he went three for six.

Basically, that means every time the Bruins’ offense gets to the 33-yard line, they’re assured three points. At his weekly news conference, Kansas State coach Bill Snyder was asked about Forbath’s consistency, and the name Martin Gramatica came up. Read More »

By Kellis Robinett | Tags: , , , , , Filed under Player 2 Watch | Comments Off

More bad news for UCLA

Aug. 10, 20104:12 p.m.

The UCLA football team may have to use a makeshift offensive line against Kansas State.

News out of Bruins land today is that Jeff Baca, a left guard who started every game last season, has been ruled academically ineligible pending an appeal with the NCAA.

Baca told reporters there was a chance his ineligibility could be overturned before the season opener in Manhattan.

“I’m working on an appeal and there’s just no telling what the timetable is,” said Baca, a 6-foot-4, 305-pound junior from Mission Viejo High School. “Things happen like this and it’s unfortunate.”

If the ineligibility stands, K-State’s defensive line will be going up against a depleted unit. Read More »

By Kellis Robinett | Tags: , , , , , , Filed under Football | Comments Off

UCLA starting lineman to miss K-State game

Aug. 10, 20101:34 p.m.

UCLA will be without the services of one of its starters when it opens its season against Kansas State on Sept. 4 at Snyder Family Stadium.

Reports out of Los Angeles indicate junior offensive lineman Mike Harris, who started all 13 games for the Bruins a season ago and shared the team’s most improved offensive player award, has been suspended from the game because of a violation of team rules.

In last year’s 23-9 victory over K-State at the Rose Bowl, Harris helped the Bruins rush for 173 yards and a touchdown.

By Kellis Robinett | Tags: , , , , , , Filed under Football | Comments Off

Live Blog: K-State 9, UCLA 23

Sept. 19, 20098:42 p.m.

UCLA 23, K-State 9; Final
PASADENA, Calif. — That will do it here from the Rose Bowl. UCLA just picked off a Coffman pass and is running out the clock.

Check back later for a postgame report.

UCLA 23, K-State 9; 1:30 4th
PASADENA, Calif. — Kansas State hung tough with UCLA for most of the game, but it looks like the Bruins are going to move to 3-0.

The Bruins have shut down the Wildcats’ offense ever since that nice 80-yard drive in the third quarter and have scored 10 points of their own.
Read More »

By Kellis Robinett | Tags: , , , , , Filed under Football | Comments Off

Gameday Preview: K-State at UCLA

Sept. 19, 200911:12 a.m.

Rose Bowl

PASADENA, Calif. — For the first time this season, the Kansas State Wildcats are underdogs.

Going up against UCLA (a 2-0 team that just won at Tennessee) in the Rose Bowl (one of the most picturesque and famous stadiums in America) the Vegas odds makers are predicting K-State to lose by about two touchdowns.

I doubt that matters to anyone on the Wildcats’ roster. They were favorites last week at Louisiana-Lafayette and that didn’t work out so well for them. Their goal this week is to simply put that out of their minds, ignore a large baby-blue clad crowd and try to stay focused all the way through the game, which doesn’t start until 9:15 tonight.

That means they will likely be taking snaps after midnight, and that will be a new experience.
Read More »

By Kellis Robinett | Tags: , , , , , , , , Filed under GAMEDAY | Comments Off