No. 7 K-State, Kansas meet in Sunflower Showdown

"They're all highly motivated," he said. "You get 12 games a season, maybe 13. That's 12 times for a competitive young guy to really be competitive, and that's 12 out of 365 (days). That's it. There isn't any more. How could you pass up the opportunity to do what you love to do and be as competitive as you love to be in any game that you play? I think they all feel that."

The importance Kansas State places on the rivalry is evident the moment you walk into the football complex, where the Governor's Cup sits in a case in the middle of the room. The rest of the program's hardware, from Big 12 titles to bowl games, is in a separate trophy case.

Kansas hasn't looked at the Wildcats the same way, at least not historically. Sure, it's a game that the Jayhawks always want to win, but their bitter rival has always been Missouri.

Now, with the Tigers off to the SEC, the Sunflower Showdown is the biggest game in town.

"We always felt like it was more important to them, and when you are going into a fight and somebody feels like it is more important to them, that shows," said Kansas wide receiver Daymond, a Texas native who has learned to appreciate the rivalry. "Going into this year, it's mutual.

"You're our rival and we're your rival, so let's get it on."