Football coaches hate calling anything a must-win game.After all, what do you say to your players if you don’t win a game previously labeled as such?This Saturday, when Kansas University hosts lowly Colorado, crumple that theory up and toss it in the recycling bin. You know what, lets do it one better and drop it through a paper shredder.This is not just a must-win for the Jayhawks – It’s a must-win-big game.For those of you who swung your heads away in disgust after KU’s 21-18 fourth quarter bust against Texas A&M (there were plenty, judging by the number of empty bleacher seats a week later for the Oklahoma State tilt), the trend certainly didn’t fade.The Jayhawks allowed the ‘Pokes to score 42 points in the span of 23:19 before falling 42-32 after leading 17-0. Following almost the same script in Waco, Texas, last weekend, KU allowed Baylor to erase an 18-point fourth quarter deficit before bowing out, 36-35.That’s enough to force some coaches to not sleep for a week.After all of that, it’s tough to believe that Mark Mangino’s boys still have a shot at a bowl berth. But that’s not so tough to buy into when you realize that Colorado, the not-so-proud owner of a 1-7 record, still has a shot at winning the title in the North division. True, that’s merely a mathematical possibility, and nothing short of a miracle would make it happen. But just like Lloyd Christmas and Mary Swanson (or Samsonite) potentially ending up together, “you’re saying there’s a chance.”But that’s the beauty of the Big 12 in its current state – The conference has eight bowl game tie-ins, and the field of contenders is currently as weak as it’s been in recent memory.Now the Jayhawks can feast on the weakest of them all, with the Buffaloes in town.With that said, let us stay away from what Kansas brings to the table. We know the offense has big-play and big-number potential. The defense has the ability to be stingy at home, and Colorado’s offense, well, is not good.As if that alone doesn’t cook up a successful forecast for the Jayhawks, this tasty lick just might: “Well, we know that we’re not going to a bowl game, we know that we have no shot at the Big 12 championship, but right now it’s just focused on finishing hard,” Colorado freshman receiver Jarrell Yates told _The Denver Post_ earlier this week. “We’re not trying to be lackadaisical. We still want victories these last four games. We just want to show people that we still have character.”The following piece of what he said ran in the _Rocky Mountain News_: “(Younger players) are sitting back right now and kind of getting prepared for next year. This season is pretty much over, but we’ve still got a few more games to go through and we’ll fight to the end.”If Yates’ words truly reflect the thoughts of his teammates, then it sounds as if Colorado will roll into town much in the role of a mental mess – A strong finish is possible, but not likely, and at the same time you don’t want to give off the ‘broken man’ image. Sure, Yates says his team will still fight, but when you precede that by making it public that your team has nothing left to really fight for other than pride, well, that doesn’t say much.Basically, this is the type of game that should have the Jayhawks foaming at the mouth, brimming with excitement and ready to explode. The Buffs are ripe for a beatdown. Coincidentally, that is what Kansas University needs, too: Not a win, but a blowout win.While the possibilities of Colorado running the table and winning the Big 12 title are certainly not out of the realm of possibility, they are out of the realm of reality. More believable are the chances KU has of making it to a bowl game for the third time in four years.There’s nothing so far this season that should lead Jayhawk Nation to believe that Missouri is a winnable game, but the next three definitely are. KU’s next three opponents – CU, Iowa State and Kansas State – have a combined record of 8-16.Squeaking by a team like Colorado might not give enough juice to propel Kansas towards the aforementioned three-game winning streak, which would include the ever-so-elusive road conference victory next Saturday in Ames, Iowa. But, say, winning by four touchdowns? Yeah, that oughta do the trick.Losing the game, though, well, after the last three weeks, that shouldn’t be an option.**_KUSports.com editor Ryan Greene can be reached at rgreene@ljworld.com, or by phone at (785) 832-6357._**
