2008 Previews: Kansas

By Tim Cottrell
Sports Writer/Designer
Published: June 21, 2008

Kansas is No. 12 in our preview lineup. Previews of all 65 BCS conference teams, plus Notre Dame and state schools, will be posted daily in no particular order. To view all previews, click here.

Kansas was one of the feel-good stories of the year last season, coming out of nowhere to finish 12-1 with a BCS bowl win and an eons of losing-cleansing drubbing of Nebraska.

And now the Jayhawks return 15 starters from that dream team, including nine on defense and ace quarterback Todd Reesing.

The only problem? They’re playing more than one team that can put up a fight this time around.

Not only are they taking a road trip to South Florida and facing always-frisky Louisiana Tech on the non-conference slate, but they replace Baylor, Oklahoma State and Texas A&M with Oklahoma, Texas and Texas Tech on their Big 12 schedule.

Not a good sign.

It also doesn’t help that the two players they lost on defense were All-World in tackle James McClinton and cornerback Aqib Talib.

While in many ways this will be a stronger, more polished team, the record is probably going to be significantly worse.

Here’s teh schedule:

Aug. 30: Florida International
The Jayhawks beat them 55-3 last year and there’s no reason to think this time around will be any different.

Sept. 6: Louisiana Tech
The Bulldogs are always waiting to knock someone off, but Kansas should be strong enough to resist this one.

Sept. 12: at South Florida
A short week and a long trip equals bad things in Tampa.

Sept. 20: Sam Houston State
Can’t we start penalizing people BCS points for games like this?

Oct. 4: at Iowa State
The Cyclones are a long way away from being relevant again.

Oct. 11: Colorado
These two fought a pretty tough battle in Boulder last year. Expect the same this time around.

Oct. 18: at Oklahoma
As good as the Jayhawks could be, they are in no way equipped to go on the road and win a game like this.

Oct. 25: Texas Tech
This game could be the difference between a Holiday Bowl trip and an Independence Bowl berth.

Nov. 1: Kansas State
The Jayhawks have seized power in the state, for the time being at least.

Nov. 8: at Nebraska
Boy, this one should be interesting after the Jayhawks hung a whopping 76 points on the Huskers last year.

Nov. 15: Texas
The biggest game to come to Lawrence, Kan., in forever will probably end in disappointment for the Jayhawk faithful.

Nov. 29: vs. Missouri (at Kansas City, Mo.)
The Tigers knocked the Jayhawks out of the title picture last year and will knock them down a bowl notch this time.

Kansas will be no worse than 7-5, but no better than 9-3. 8-4 is probably the most likely record.