Past preseasons

Nick Krug

Here’s a look at the four previous times the KU football program has been ranked heading into a season:

Year: 1952

Preseason rank: 17

Finish: 7-3 (3-3 in Big Seven), N/R

Year: 1961

Nick Krug

Kansas linebacker Mike Rivera pumps his fist after the Jayhawks shut down the Aggies on a fourth down deep in Kansas territory in this file photo from last season's KU victory at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas. Rivera and the Jayhawks learned Friday that they're ranked No. 13 in the USA Today preseason coaches poll.

Preseason rank: 8

Finish: 7-3-1 (5-2 Big Eight), 15th (UPI)

Year: 1976

Preseason rank: 19

Finish: 6-5 (2-5 in Big Eight), N/R

Year: 1996

Preseason rank: 25

Finish: 4-7 (2-6 in Big 12 North), N/R

Year: 2008

Preseason rank: 13

Finish: ????

For those Kansas University football fans suffering from triskaidekaphobia (an irrational fear of the number 13), Friday’s release of the 2008 USA Today preseason coaches’ poll might come as a traumatic karmic development.

For everyone else, it represents a sign that the program has etched itself into the national conscience.

On the heels of a 12-1 season and their first BCS bowl victory in school history, the Jayhawks find themselves ranked 13th in the nation in one of the major preseason polls, the first time since 1996 they’ve entered a season in the Top 25.

Georgia earned the No. 1 spot, followed by Southern California, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Florida.

“I feel the same way I did a year ago about this team,” Kansas coach Mark Mangino said during last week’s Big 12 media days in Kansas City, Mo. “I think our team has good chemistry, from what I’ve seen through the winter workouts and through spring ball and (from) what the strength coach has told me about the summer program. We have some key people to replace, but we did last year, as well.”

This year’s preseason ranking marks the fifth in the program’s history and the highest since 1961, when the Jayhawks entered the season ranked eighth.

The poll also echoes sentiment that Kansas will endure a much tougher schedule than it did a season ago, when the Jayhawks faced just two teams – Virginia Tech and Missouri – that finished the season in the Top 25.

This year, Kansas is scheduled to face five teams listed among the preseason Top 25, including Oklahoma (No. 4), Missouri (No. 7), Texas (No. 10), Texas Tech (No. 14) and South Florida (No. 21).

Two other teams on the Jayhawks’ schedule – Nebraska and Colorado – also received votes.

“I’m not in the prediction business,” said Mangino about his team’s perceived difficulty of schedule. “I know that our kids are looking forward to the season and the people we have on the schedule. Yeah, it’s a little bit more difficult schedule than it was a year ago. But we embrace those challenges. You want to play teams like Oklahoma, Texas, Texas Tech.”

The Jayhawks, who defeated Virginia Tech 24-21 in the Orange Bowl and finished the 2007 season ranked No. 7 nationally, return 15 starters from last year’s team, including quarterback and Davey O’Brien Award semifinalist Todd Reesing.

Still, even as they enter the season with a No. 13 ranking and a level of anticipation not typically seen around Lawrence, players aren’t ready to admit they’ve “arrived”.

“Even though we won the Orange Bowl, we’re still not greatly appreciated,” said junior safety Darrell Stuckey. “This is the first time in a long time that we’ve been in the Top 25, and we’re grateful for that. But we still aren’t done. We still aren’t the best we can be.

“And we realize there’s a lot of room for improvement.”