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Monday, November 26, 2007

Kansas football welcomes week off

By Ryan Wood

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The Border War 2007

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¢ 6Sports video: Beaten but still in top 5<br /> ¢ 6News video: Fans cheer on Hawks from Lawrence<br /> ¢ 6News video: Crowds brave cold for ESPN's Gameday<br /> ¢ 6News video: Broken dreams<br />

Reader poll

With KU's loss to Missouri ending its regular season, which bowl do you think the 11-1 Jayhawks will wind up in?

  • Fiesta Bowl 54% 3311 votes
  • Orange Bowl 10% 638 votes
  • Sugar Bowl 3% 203 votes
  • Cotton Bowl 21% 1305 votes
  • Holiday Bowl 5% 337 votes
  • Gator Bowl 1% 84 votes
  • Elsewhere 3% 226 votes

6104 total votes.

Kansas University's football players didn't trudge into the meeting rooms Sunday dragging tail.

That doesn't mean, however, their tails couldn't use some time off.

"They're a little tired," KU coach Mark Mangino said Sunday, one day after KU lost to Missouri, 36-28, in Kansas City, Mo. "Disappointed but not discouraged. They were wide-eyed in the meetings, anticipating getting ready to play in the bowl game."

And, perhaps, a little relieved that not much is on the table this entire week.

The Jayhawks will not practice until Saturday at the earliest, a way for the fatigued players to get some critical rest and focus on their studies.

It's also a chance for the coaching staff to hit the recruiting trail hard. The Jayhawks have 13 commitments for 2008, but now have an updated sell - a Top-25 program - in their back pocket as they look to add to what could be a high-impact class.

In polls released Sunday, the Jayhawks dropped to seventh in the Associated Press, fifth in the USA Today coaches and sixth in the Harris Interactive. They also were fifth in the BCS standings.

With the bowl game weeks away and an NCAA restriction on how many practices can be conducted, the coaching staff decided the best opportunity for time off is right now. It's needed after eight straight weeks of games.

"There's no reason to practice this early," Mangino said. "We have to get out on the road. We're in a contact period. We have to go out and recruit, and that takes precedence this week."

KU players, meanwhile, will lift weights during the week and get in pads once next weekend. Even then, the practice will be geared toward getting the younger players repetitions, as several pre-bowl practices usually are.

Saturday's loss to Missouri knocked Kansas out of the Big 12 North driver's seat and all but eliminated the Jayhawks from a spot in the BCS National Championship Game.

Still, all is not lost from an 11-1 regular season, and the players seem to have an optimistic perspective.

"We'll still be playing in a January bowl or a pretty good bowl," cornerback Aqib Talib said Saturday. "So we're not down. We're going to get healthy. This will give us time to get healthy.

"We had a lot of people banged up out there and still going. This will give us a chance to get back healthy like we were at the beginning of the season. We'll be full strength for this bowl game."

As for Mangino?

"I'm fine," he said. "You get up the next day, and there's new challenges. You shift focus and just carry on.

"There's no time to think about the past. You've got to stay focused on what's important now."

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Comments

KURiggins (anonymous) says...

I am very proud of the Hawks. Eleven wins and only one loss. We are awesome. We return a lot of players next year too. There is NO reason to think we won't be after the Nation Title again next year. We are still a great team. Go HAWKS!!. I could not be prouder to be a Jayhawk. 12-1 this year. Next year, we are going undefeated and going to win the Nation Championship. Stay optimisitic Jayhawk Nation

November 26, 2007 at 8:31 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

93jayhawk (anonymous) says...

I agree with Riggins. There is no reason to believe that KU and MU will not be battling it out for the B12 north again next year, and if the winner of that can win the B12 Championship, they very well could be playing for the NationAL Championship in 2009!

Rock Chalk Jayhawk!

Michael

November 26, 2007 at 8:52 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

wats211 (anonymous) says...

bring on southern cal...if not them...bring on florida......that would be awesome......i would love us to play tim tebow or pete carroll and company

November 26, 2007 at 9:01 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

KU (anonymous) says...

It would be nice to get a shot at a BCS-conference team in a BCS bowl so we can show the nation that KU is for real.

November 26, 2007 at 9:39 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

nycjayhawk (anonymous) says...

Our best shot is for Missouri to beat OU and then we would probably get selected for the Fiesta. I don't mind that result because it is the best bowl for our players, and all Missouri haters can still root for W Va or Ohio St to kill Missouri (although I prefer to have a Big 12 team win it all, even Missouri).

November 26, 2007 at 9:48 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

wcormode (William Cormode) says...

I could never root for Mizzery. I would rather the hawks play in the Cotton Bowl.

November 26, 2007 at 10:22 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

Jayhawk86 (anonymous) says...

Hmm.. Cotton Bowl Pays 3 million and is played early on Fox, and has to compete with three other games for viewers, so not too much exposure. BCS bowl pays 17 million and gets played in primetime for the whole country to see.

I'm thinking I would rather be in the BCS game.
Thats whats best for the program. Maybe more people should think of whats best for the program.

November 26, 2007 at 11:05 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

nycjayhawk (anonymous) says...

Agree with you 86. Also, an OU win in the title game presents a possible scenario where both MU and KU get snubbed for the BCS games, which costs the Big 12 many many millions. That is the prediction right now on espn.com (OU in the Fiesta, both MU and KU get relegated to lesser bowls). I would greatly prefer that MU play for the title and KU play in prime time in the Fiesta.

November 26, 2007 at 11:13 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

goldlighting (anonymous) says...

Ditto nycjay, I also was torn between wanting Missouri to win or lose the big 12 but considering what is best for the long term outlook of our beloved HAWKS a BSC bowl and Mizzou win would be in our best interest................. LOL, you can almost see and smell the smoke coming from a Antlers fan club meeting, they win versus OU and it helps ku into a $17 million BCS game, now that is awesome, GOD does have a sense of humor.

November 26, 2007 at 11:53 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

lalawguy (anonymous) says...

Even though apparently rooting against Mizzou will cost the Big 12 billions of dollars, I just can't help myself. I think Missouri proved themselves Saturday, but years of conditioning have me hoping that OU can stop the Tigers once again.

No matter where KU ends up in the post-season, I know this will be the most memorable KU football season in my lifetime, at least until the Jayhawks actually do get to play for the BCS championship (next season maybe?). To go from unrecognized to No. 2 in the nation (with a near-chance to be No. 1) is pretty spectacular.

November 26, 2007 at 12:18 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

sevenyearhawk (anonymous) says...

It is sickening to have to root for Missouri, but their winning puts Kansas in the *best* position for a BCS game ...

I know I'm ready to Fiesta, just as soon as I can find a big, blue sombrero!

November 26, 2007 at 1:25 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

flyboy (anonymous) says...

Its G-R-E-A-T (picture Tony the Tiger) to root for Missouri. The Tigers played an incredible game and tore apart KU's defense. Chase Daniel should be a strong contender for a Heisman and the guy is only a Junior! Another year - how much better will he get? I hope they clobber OU and whoever else - it would be awesome to have a #1 team so close.

I'd grab the Fiesta and not complain - its $$ to the program and the year has been great for KU!

November 26, 2007 at 2:06 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

nycjayhawk (anonymous) says...

I read that if Missouri loses to OU and KU moves up to #4 in the BCS rankings (Missouri falls below us and no 2-loss team leapfrogs us), then KU is guaranteed a BCS bowl as the highest rated Big 12 team. Does anyone know if that is correct? If so, if OU blows out MU, that could be another way to grab a BCS bowl.

November 26, 2007 at 2:21 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

bmcmich1 (anonymous) says...

nyc,

that is most definitely a possibility

November 26, 2007 at 2:40 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

seattlehawk_78 (anonymous) says...

A mizzou loss means a 1 loss KU and a 2 loss MU. I'm not sure who would get the BCS bid other than OU. If that scenario played out and we were picked over mizzou the irony would be sweet.

November 26, 2007 at 3:25 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

nycjayhawk (anonymous) says...

I doubt we would get "picked" over MU if humans had input; I think the bowl reps would want MU since they beat KU. However, if MU fell to 5th and KU was in 4th in the BCS, my understanding is that MU could not be "picked" since KU finished higher in the BCS rankings (and at least 4th). However, I am worried about being leaped by LSU or Va Tech or both if they win championship games while KU is idle. If KU finished 5th and MU 6th, MU could be picked over us. So I am back to rooting for MU to beat OU, in which case I think the Fiesta takes KU because of the tie to the Big 12, and KU at one loss looks better than OU with 3 losses. The Fiesta is best for KU at this point, with the Cotton as the fall back.

November 26, 2007 at 3:41 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

troutsee (anonymous) says...

We need for MU to beat OU if we want to go to a BCS bowl game. I just can't see myself rooting for MU come game time. I don't know if I can do it. I live in Missouri and have to put up with these guys. Okay, I'll try.

Man, it's so hard. Maybe I can bring myself to do it.

All of a sudden I feel light headed; I'm sweating profusely; a wave of nausea is spreading over me.

God, forgive me. The Devil has me in his spell.

November 26, 2007 at 5:21 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

jbrownjib (anonymous) says...

MU is in the same boat as Kansas this year. They had a great season and no one outside of the Big 12 wants to give them credit. KU had a great season and lost to a respectable opponent who also played great every Saturday. LSU, Florida and USC can't make that claim to justify their BCS rankings. OU doesn't deserve to play in a big time bowl. OU lost to CU and TT? KU lost to the now #1 team in the country. It is best for MU to beat OU and then KU fans can say that the only team we lost to this season is the #1 in the BCS. I would love to see us in a primetime bowl like the Fiesta. I want every high school football player in the country to watch us in a primetime bowl. I want for abc, espn, fsn and every other sports network to have to talk about KU football on their broadcast because we belong in a top bowl game this year. Our stats support us and we didn't lose to the teams we were supposed to beat. And of course, 17 mill is much better than 3 mill or a sharp stick in the eye. This team has earned the best! Go KU!

November 26, 2007 at 6:10 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

wats211 (anonymous) says...

for some reason...i smell roses...bring on southern cal

November 26, 2007 at 7:02 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

scootja32 (anonymous) says...

big ten vs pac 10

not big twelve

it'll never happen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! caps lock off

November 26, 2007 at 11:51 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

summers (anonymous) says...

If MU or WVU loses, then Ohio St. goes to the NC game. That leaves the Rose Bowl looking for a replacement for the Big 10 Champ. With the Fiesta Bowl taking the Big XII champion (MU or OU) then KU might be a great fit for the Rose Bowl.

November 27, 2007 at 12:52 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

summers (anonymous) says...

If VTech loses to BC there is an opening in the Orange...if MU and WVU lose, OSU and UGA play the NC game...another opening in the Orange for KU.

If Hawai'i loses to UW the Sugar could be looking for an at-large team.

How many scenarios can we come find?

November 27, 2007 at 1:04 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

JBurtin (anonymous) says...

Okay, now my head is spinning. Can next saturday please just get here so we'll friggin' know already? All this guessing is going to drive me nuts.

My guess is that MU pulls it off this weekend, but I certainly could be wrong. OU is basically us with a better defensive line. Yes they had a let-down and lost at Colorado, but it has proved to be a fluke. When they are healthy, they haven't lost a game since. The loss to Texas Tech was due simply to Bradford being injured. The same would happen to virtually anyone who didn't have their starting quarterback (except perhaps us)because Texas Tech is certainly no pushover. You need offensive balance to beat them and that simply wasn't in the cards without Bradford.

Here's to being able to watch a good game next week and not really having to care about the outcome. A week off will be nice for a change, I've been going in to heart palpitations every week this year.

November 27, 2007 at 1:44 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

nycjayhawk (anonymous) says...

On the Rose, the only way that happens is if Ohio St plays in the NC game (OU beats Missouri) and Illiniois does not qualify for BCS because they are not at least 14th. Currently Illinois is 15th, with four teams in front of them who play this weekend -- Tennessee, Az State, Hawaii and Boston College. All four would need to win, keeping Illinois at 15th. Then the Rose could not select a Big 10 team, and there is history for a Big 12 team playing there, but both Missouri and Kansas would be available (although only once has a team lost a league championship game and still gone to the BCS). Having lost under the scenario above, Va Tech and LSU would also be available for the Rose. I just don't seem them picking KU, but would love for it to happen.

November 27, 2007 at 9:02 a.m. ( | suggest removal )