THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN SPORTS
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11,2005
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PAGE 11A
'Hawks one victory away from bowl bid
Independence Bowl Big 12 vs. SEC
Houston Bowl Big 12 vs. SEC
BY RVAN SCHNEIDER
rschneider@kansan.com
KANSAN STAFF WRITER
Despite last weekend's victory against Nebraska, the biggest challenge of the season for the Kansas football team looms ahead.
With a current record of 5-4, the team must win one more game to reach the magic number of six victories needed to become bowl eligible.
Bowl representatives have taken notice and come to Lawrence to scout the Jayhawks at games this season.
Associate Athletics Director Jim Marchiony said representatives from two bowl games had attended games this season. Representatives from the Champs Sports Bowl were in Lawrence for the Nebraska and Oklahoma games. The Cotton Bowl sent a representative to games against Louisiana Tech and Oklahoma.
Marchiony said he didn't know if any representatives had planned to visit during the Iowa State game Nov. 26, but, officials from the Independence Bowl and Fort Worth Bowl confirmed they would attend the game that weekend.
The Big 12 Conference has
contracts with eight different bowls, including the Bowl Championship Series. Nine teams, however, could be bowl eligible come December, leaving one team searching for an at-large bowl bid or at home for the holidays.
Undefeated Texas will likely win the Big 12 South Division and represent the conference in one of the four BCS bowl games. Texas Tech, which has only one loss, appears destined for the Cotton Bowl, the second best bowl for a Big 12 team.
Colorado has all but wrapped up the Big 12 North Division and will likely receive a berth to the Holiday Bowl.
With the top three bowls basically spoken for, Kansas must battle five other teams needing only one more victory for a bowl spot. Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Missouri, Nebraska and Kansas all have five victories on the season. Kansas State and Baylor must win their last two games to be bowl eligible.
Kansas has a realistic shot at one of four bowls — the Houston Bowl, Independence Bowl, Fort Worth Bowl) or Champs Sports Bowl.
Tom Starr, Forth Worth Bowl Executive Director, said he would wait until after the Big 12
Championship game, on Dec. 3, before selecting a Big 12 team. He said he was able to narrow his list of possible Big 12 teams to Kansas, Missouri and Texas A&M before he began scouting.
"Scouting is just not as important as it used to be." Starr said.
The Independence Bowl will consider Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Texas A&M and Oklahoma, said Missy Setters, Independence Bowl Interim Executive Director.
The Independence Bowl has the highest financial payout of any bowl Kansas could be considered for, awarding more than $1 million per team. The other three bowls pay out nearly $800,000 each. In comparison, the Cotton Bowl pays $3 million, while the Holiday Bowl pays $2 million.
The Big 12 Conference is obligated to send bowl eligible teams to a BCS game, the Alamo Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Independence Bowl, Holiday Bowl, Fort Worth Bowl, Houston Bowl and the Champs Sports Bowl.
Kansas' last bowl appearance was in 2003 at the Tangerine Bowl, now known as the Champs Sports Bowl. That team lost 56-26 to North Carolina State.
Edited by Anne Burgard
Ft. Worth Bowl Big 12 vs. C-USA
Champ Bowl Big 12 vs. ACC
THE COLUMN
Welcome back to the bandwagon. Watch your step as you get back on.
You could say in the end, the season turned out better than everyone expected. On the other hand, you have to realize that this isn't the end. Of course, it's natural to be on a high after Kansas ended its 36 years of defeat at the hands of the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Nice. It was a lot of fun, but if the Jayhawks were to lose their final two games of the season, then that victory is in vain. Now this team faces a bigger challenge and, perhaps, a call to glow.
Some Texas friends of mine called last week and said, "Y'all better not come down here and ruin our National Championship."
Now, Kansas must travel down to Austin to face a Texas team that is on a crusade to win a National Championship for Mack Brown, a coach who, in many ways, could compare to Kansas' Mark Mangino, albeit on a much different level.
Well, if Kansas is fixing to go down to Texas and shock the world, then you have to at least think it has a fighting chance. At least compared to about a month ago. Then, the cynicism of the students who were already clamoring for basketball was obvious. You would have thought it was 2002, when the Jayhawks went 2-10, all over again.
For many years, Brown also has been an easy target for much harsher critics in a state where football rivals Christianity as the religion of choice. Like Mangino, Brown can never seem to twin. They are both great football minds, who are adored by their players but have often run into some tough luck.
About 3:30 Saturday afternoon, 2002 couldn't have been further away.
JIMMY CHAVEZ
JCHAVEZ@KANSAN.COM
Against the best, Mangino has been at his best. The numbers won't lie either.
One difference could be each coach's performance in the biggest games.
Mangino has won three in
a row against hated Missouri, beaten Kansas State and, by the way, who was the coach of the Jayhawk team that ended it's long losing streak to Nebraska?
Meanwhile, Brown has squandered away numerous opportunities to return the Longhorns' storied program back to the level it was at under legendary Coach
This year, things have changed Texas hammered Oklahoma and is routinely hanging 40, 50, or even 60 points on whoever is in its way. But history says that the Longhorns are likely to at least flirt with disaster.
Darrel Royal. Brown lost five straight years to Oklahoma. In 2001, Texas ruined a sure appearance in the National Championship Game by losing the Big 12 title game to heavy underdog Colorado.
Overlook this Kansas team, with a defense that will finally be in the national spotlight and a quarterback, senior Jason Swanson, who has redefined the term "Cool Cat," and the "Eyes of Texas" could have tears in them by 6 Saturday night.
Is it likely? Probably not. But this team will compete, as always, and in its biggest game in years. Just ask Kansas senior linebacker Nick Reid about Texas junior quarterback Vince Young and you'll see all the fire you'll ever need to see.
Just remember this: Every dog has its day, and for Texas that dog could prove rabid. As for my friends at home, maybe I should bring some tissues for Thanksgiving?
Kansas will go down there and hear nothing except about Texas' inevitable Rose Bowl match-up against South Carolina.
Chavez is a San Antonio senior in journalism.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Newcomers bring depth to game
Ivana Catic, Kansas freshman guard, passes by Pittsburg sophomore center, Tracy Patry, during the Jayhawks' game on Nov. 8 in Allen Fieldhouse. Catic scored six points and had six assists in the 90-65 Kansas victory.
Rylan Howe/KANSAN
BY MICHAEL PHILLIPS
mphillips@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTWRITER
She may not get another opportunity to make a first impression, but she doesn't need one after her performance Sunday.
Leaving the locker room after Sunday's exhibition opener, freshman guard Ivana Catic said she couldn't believe the game was already finished.
In Catic's first game as a Jayhawk, she started and played 25 total minutes as point guard, finishing with six points, six assists and five steals.
The Jaj Hawks will look to build on strong performances by Catic and the five other newcomers Sunday when they welcome Emporia State to Allen Fieldhouse. It will be the second, and final, exhibition game of the year for both teams.
After a 90-65 romping of in-state opponent Pittsburg State last Sunday, Kansas women's basketball coach Bonnie Henrickson said she was pleased with the offense, but the defense struggled at times.
Tip-off will be at 1 p.m., and admission is free for students with a valid KUID.
This season, the Jayhawks are playing more fast-paced basketball than last year, because the team's six newcomers add depth.
Two weeks ago, Henrickson installed a press defense, designed to trap opponents and force them into turning the ball over.
The new defense paid dividends during last Sunday's game against Pittsburg State, helping the team to 90 points, a feat Henrickson had not previously accomplished at Kansas.
SEE NEWCOMERS ON PAGE 10A
VOLLEYBALL
'Hawks must net win for tournament bid
BY MATT WILSON
mwilson@kansan.com
KANSAN STAFF WRITER
Kansas needs to keep its recent momentum going and make a late push for the NCAA Volleyball Tournament when it welcomes Texas Tech to Lawrence for a key Big 12 match Saturday night.
The Jajawacks are 6-10 in the conference and sit in seventh place, but only one half-game out of sixth. The sixth place team, Iowa State, will play host to Kansas on the last Saturday of the season.
The focus for the Jayhawks, however, is their next match. When every match is a must-win, there is no room for overlooking anyone.
"They're very much a team of
momentum, energy and enthusiasm," Kansas volleyball coach Ray Beachard said about the Red Raiders. "It appears that they feed off each other when they play well, and the entire group begins to raise their level of play."
For the Red Raiders, those instances have been fewer than they would like. They enter their match with the Jayhawks 4-11 in conference play and 11-13 overall.
Kansan file photo
"I think the key will be to
But an instance of it all coming together for the Red Raiders was against the Jayhawks earlier this season. Texas Tech dominated in Lubbock, sweeping the match in just 90 minutes. Bechard said Tech was a much better team than its record indicated.
Jamie Mathewson, junior defensive specialist, drops to pass the ball during Kansas' game against Iowa State on Oct. 19 in Lawrence. The Jayhawks will play Texas Tech here in Lawrence at 7 p.m on Saturday.
keep momentum on our side," he said. "They have a physical presence on the outside and good offensive balance."
The Red Raiders' offense is led
by junior outside hitter Philisier Sang. She ranks third in the Big 12 with 4.40 kills per game.
SEE TOURNAMENT ON PAGE 10A