Kansas State football players continue to revel in Sunflower Showdown rivalry with Kansas

LAWRENCE — Kansas State football quarterback Will Howard didn't grow up with any feelings toward in-state rival Kansas one way or the other.

Learning to despise the Jayhawks has been a four-year process for the Wildcats' senior quarterback from Downingtown, Pennsylvania.

As for 50-plus of his K-State teammates from the state of Kansas, most of them picked sides in the Sunflower Showdown at a much younger age. When the Wildcats take on KU at 6 p.m. Saturday at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, their allegiance already is baked in.

Take center Hayden Gillum, a sixth-year senior from tiny Plainville, a former walk-on who only had eyes for the Wildcats.

"I grew up a K-State fan. I've always been a K-State fan my whole life," Gillum said. "And being from small-town Kansas, you're either a K-State fan or a KU fan.

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"A lot of my friends are KU fans, a lot of my friends are K-State fans, so I've grown up in it and been around it my whole life."

In fact, one of Gillum's best friends from Plainville is Kansas tight end Jared Casey, the hero of a Jayhawk upset victory at Texas a couple of years ago. The two have even teamed up to film an Applebee's restaurant commercial.

"It's important to those kids because they've watched this game growing up and they've probably been to the games at both stadiums growing up," fifth-year K-State coach Chris Klieman said. "It's fun. We've got 50-some guys from Kansas on the roster, so I know how important it is.

"And then it becomes important to the guys that are (from) out of state to make sure I play my tail off for those guys that are in state."

That certainly is the case for Howard, who vividly recalls his introduction to the rivalry.

"I just remember how much this means to Sped — Taylor Braet (K-State recruiting director)," Howard said. "My freshman year, I just remember how fired up he was about this game.

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"It's a huge game. Every year we have some kids from Kansas come up and talk to us during the team meeting and talk about how much this means to them and their families — everyone that is from the state of Kansas that grew up either a K-State or a KU fan. And not being from Kansas, being from Pennsylvania, I didn't really understand that."

That, of course, has changed over time.

"Now that I've been here, I'm pretty engulfed in it now, and it's cool," Howard said. "It's cool to be a part of and to be able to represent Kansas State for all the fans that have been through over the years. It means a lot to me now, too.

"I remember hearing a ton of stories from all the K-State faithful about all their experiences with KU. I'm involved in this. How could I not hate KU at this point?"

Senior cornerback Keenan Garber, a converted wide receiver, brings a whole different perspective to the game. He grew up in Lawrence playing for Free State High School, and on Saturday he could make his first start against the Jayhawks in his hometown.

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"It means everything," Garber said. "It means a lot for me especially, just being from Lawrence, and I know it means a ton to all the other Kansas kids around.

"So it's always great being able to play in that game."

And then there is senior left guard Cooper Beebe, the reigning Big 12 offensive lineman of the year from Piper High School in Kansas City Kansas. He, too, grew up following the Sunflower Showdown.

"As somebody from the state of Kansas, that was the game every year that you had to make sure you watched," Beebe said. "It's always fun.

"Especially this year. It's going to be a super competitive game. They've got a good team, and I think it's good for the state of Kansas. Probably the most competitive Sunflower Showdown in probably 20 years or so."

Indeed, K-State has won the last 14 meetings between the teams, the longest streak in a series that spans 120 games — soon to be 121. The Jayhawks last won in 2008, and dropped six straight in Lawrence. But at 7-3 (4-3 Big 12), they have secured their first winning record since '08 under third-year coach Lance Leipold.

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K-State also is 7-3 and still in the running for a return to the Big 12 championship game with a 5-2 league record.

That fact is not lost on Howard, who admitted that hatred is perhaps too strong a word for what he also sees as more of a healthy rivalry.

"There's a level of hatred there, but at the same time, I think it's also emblematic of the love for each school," he said. "And I think that's a big part of this rivalry too, is how much each fan base just loves their school and how much it means to them.

"I've got nothing but respect for those guys, and I'm glad that they're playing better, and coach Leipold has done a really good job over there. It's great for the for the state."

Arne Green is based in Salina and covers Kansas State University sports for the Gannett network. He can be reached at agreen@gannett.com or on Twitter at @arnegreen.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas State football's dominance hasn't diminished Sunflower Showdown