Wildcats get break before meeting Sooners

MANHATTAN, Kan. -- Not even a date with No. 1 Oklahoma can keep No. 14 Kansas State from relaxing.

With the nation's top team and the Big 12 championship game looming on Dec. 6 in Kansas City, Mo., the Wildcats will spend a portion of their preparation time eating turkey and getting some rest.

"They're 19 years old. Of course they can relax," coach Bill Snyder said. "Will they take the game seriously? Of course they will. Can you get too relaxed? I suppose so. There's a balance you certainly have to have."

Kansas State, which extended its winning streak to six games and clinched the Big 12 North by beating Missouri 24-14 on Saturday, will take a three-day break starting today.

The Wildcats have played eight straight games without a break in an unusually long regular season of 13 games.

"I'm going to enjoy these next couple of days of relaxation after months of no relaxation," defensive end Andrew Shull said. "Having a break is not distracting. It's much needed."

And big Thanksgiving dinners aside, the Wildcats -- who beat Nebraska in Lincoln for the first time in 35 years en route to their third Big 12 North title -- said they remain hungry.

"At the beginning of the season we had hopes of going back to Arrowhead (where Kansas State opened its season in August) and I don't think just getting there is going to be enough," Shull said. "We'd all regret it if we got there and didn't prepare ourselves well enough to play very well."

Oklahoma, which beat the Wildcats 27-24 in the 2000 Big 12 title game, will be a heavy favorite this time.

"Right now we don't mind being the underdog," tight end Thomas Hill said. "We don't have as much pressure as they do."

Not only has Oklahoma beaten its opponents by an average score of 48-13, but Snyder has never beaten former assistant and current Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops. Snyder is 0-3 since Stoops took over the Sooners in 1999.

Oklahoma is also ranked first in the nation in both scoring offense and total defense.

"We're never scared," Shull said. "We'll give them everything we have. They're not Superman."