Richard Gwin/Journal-World File PhotoA victory Saturday over Iowa State will make Kansas University eligible for a bowl with six football victories.
But will the Jayhawks be bowl-bound?
Odds are, the answer would be yes. However, one scenario could prevent Kansas from a postseason berth.
If Texas fails to earn a BCS bid — the Longhorns are on the bubble — and if Colorado defeats Nebraska a week from today, the Jayhawks could be on the outside looking in.
If Texas earns a BCS bid, the Big 12 Conference will have nine bowl slots to fill instead of its contractual eight berths and the Colorado-Nebraska outcome would be moot.
But if the Longhorns don’t make the BCS field, the conference bowl field will remain at eight. And with eight slots, a Colorado win over Nebraska would give the Buffaloes the last bowl bid because both teams would have 6-6 records and CU owns the tie-breaker, having edged the Jayhawks, 50-47, in overtime during the regular season.
Oklahoma is a cinch for a BCS berth. Texas, Kansas State, Nebraska and Texas Tech likely will vie for the high-profile Cotton, Holiday and Alamo bowls. Missouri seems destined for the Independence Bowl, and Oklahoma State may be headed for the Houston Bowl.
If the Jayhawks head to a bowl, it’s almost certain they would be tapped by either the Tangerine Bowl or the Fort Worth Bowl. Each will have scouts in the Memorial Stadium press box Saturday as will the Cotton Bowl, although the latter may just be a courtesy visit.
Coming from Fort Worth will be Tom Starr, the bowl’s executive director.
Orlando? Or Fort Worth?
No doubt Kansas fans would find it easier to travel to Fort Worth than to Orlando, site of the Tangerine Bowl, but Orlando has the potential for better weather and for more recreational activities (Disney World, Epcot Center, etc).
The Tangerine Bowl is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 22, and will pit a Big 12 team against the fourth-place finisher in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Kickoff will be at 4:30 p.m. at Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium. In last year’s game, Texas Tech drilled Clemson, 55-15.
After the 2002 Tangerine Bowl, officials reported 34,000 tickets were sold for the 69,000-seat stadium, but the crowd was listed at only 21,689. Each participating team is allotted 12,000 tickets, but Texas Tech sold just 2,000.
  6Sports video: Jayhawks hunting their sixth win 6Sports video: KU defense has to rise to the occasion |
The Fort Worth Bowl will be Tuesday, Dec. 23, with a Big 12 team matched against a Conference USA school. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at TCU’s Amon Carter Stadium.
Both the Tangerine and Fort Worth bowls will be televised by ESPN.
Richard Gwin/Journal-World File PhotoA victory Saturday over Iowa State will make Kansas University eligible for a bowl with six football victories.
But will the Jayhawks be bowl-bound?
Odds are, the answer would be yes. However, one scenario could prevent Kansas from a postseason berth.
If Texas fails to earn a BCS bid — the Longhorns are on the bubble — and if Colorado defeats Nebraska a week from today, the Jayhawks could be on the outside looking in.
If Texas earns a BCS bid, the Big 12 Conference will have nine bowl slots to fill instead of its contractual eight berths and the Colorado-Nebraska outcome would be moot.
But if the Longhorns don’t make the BCS field, the conference bowl field will remain at eight. And with eight slots, a Colorado win over Nebraska would give the Buffaloes the last bowl bid because both teams would have 6-6 records and CU owns the tie-breaker, having edged the Jayhawks, 50-47, in overtime during the regular season.
Oklahoma is a cinch for a BCS berth. Texas, Kansas State, Nebraska and Texas Tech likely will vie for the high-profile Cotton, Holiday and Alamo bowls. Missouri seems destined for the Independence Bowl, and Oklahoma State may be headed for the Houston Bowl.
If the Jayhawks head to a bowl, it’s almost certain they would be tapped by either the Tangerine Bowl or the Fort Worth Bowl. Each will have scouts in the Memorial Stadium press box Saturday as will the Cotton Bowl, although the latter may just be a courtesy visit.
Coming from Fort Worth will be Tom Starr, the bowl’s executive director.
Orlando? Or Fort Worth?
No doubt Kansas fans would find it easier to travel to Fort Worth than to Orlando, site of the Tangerine Bowl, but Orlando has the potential for better weather and for more recreational activities (Disney World, Epcot Center, etc).
The Tangerine Bowl is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 22, and will pit a Big 12 team against the fourth-place finisher in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Kickoff will be at 4:30 p.m. at Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium. In last year’s game, Texas Tech drilled Clemson, 55-15.
After the 2002 Tangerine Bowl, officials reported 34,000 tickets were sold for the 69,000-seat stadium, but the crowd was listed at only 21,689. Each participating team is allotted 12,000 tickets, but Texas Tech sold just 2,000.
| 6Sports video: Jayhawks hunting their sixth win 6Sports video: KU defense has to rise to the occasion |
The Fort Worth Bowl will be Tuesday, Dec. 23, with a Big 12 team matched against a Conference USA school. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at TCU’s Amon Carter Stadium.
Both the Tangerine and Fort Worth bowls will be televised by ESPN.
