Few, if any, have been more skeptical of Kansas football this season than I. From day one I’ve anticipated the worst and downplayed the Jayhawks’ triumphs.

I predicted that with a soft nonconference schedule, the Jayhawks would crumble once Big 12 play started. I expected that without Jon Cornish, the offense would be as one-dimensional as Adam Sandler. Aqib Talib aside, I didn’t trust Kansas’ pass defense to keep opponents from scoring at will. And, most of all, I had no faith in coach Mark Mangino.

It’s not Mangino’s fault. I’ve just been surrounded by underachieving teams my whole life. Growing up a Royals, Chiefs and Kansas basketball fan, I’m accustomed to disappointment. If not for Husker football, sports would be synonymous with heartbreak for me.

Tom Osborne might as well have been my grandfather when I was growing up. There will never be a better college quarterback than Tommie Frazier, and the 1995 Nebraska team will forever be the greatest in college football history. My first trip to Kansas’ Memorial Stadium in 1995 wasn’t to see the Jayhawks; it was to see Osborne, Frazier and the Cornhuskers, who won 41-3.

Kansas finished No. 9 in the nation that season but was still a far cry from Nebraska. Nebraska was at the center of the college football universe and with victories came awards. There wasn’t an award watch list in America without a Cornhusker on it.

That’s why I, as critical as I’ve been of Kansas football this season, find it appalling — with undefeated teams harder to find than Waldo — that no Jayhawks are receiving serious award consideration. Most notably, Heisman consideration.

ESPN.com’s Heisman Watch lists its top 14 candidates for the Heisman, of which none are Jayhawks.

Instead, the list includes only two players on unbeaten teams: Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan and Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan. Half of the players are on teams with multiple losses, including Arkansas running back Darren McFadden and Louisville quarterback Brian Brohm, who have seven combined losses. These are all great players, no doubt, but at some point records should factor in.

Enter Kansas junior cornerback Aqib Talib.

If Charles Woodson was more deserving than Peyton Manning for the Heisman in 1997, there’s no reason Talib shouldn’t be part of the Heisman conversation in what I consider a severely watered-down field. Two Texas Tech players are on the Heisman watch, for crying out loud.

Anyone who’s watched a quarter of Kansas football by now — and, at 7-0, experts ought to be watching — can see that Talib is the straw that stirs the drink. Like Woodson was for Michigan, Talib has been a two-way threat for Kansas.

Although Talib’s primary duties are on the defensive side of the ball, he’s been a key component of the No. 3 scoring offense in the country. With only seven receptions, Talib leads Kansas with four trips to the end zone and is the team’s fifth-leading receiver with 174 yards.

As the leader of the No. 2 scoring defense in the nation, Talib’s three interceptions tie him for the team lead, and he’s broken up a team-best five passes. He’s also helped the Jayhawk secondary perform an incredible turnaround from last season.

In 2006, Kansas had one of the worst pass defenses in college football, allowing 269.1 yards per game. This season, Kansas is No. 10 in the country, allowing only 178.1 yards through the air.

While Florida Atlantic’s Tavious Polo leads the nation with seven interceptions, there’s no doubt Talib would be challenging him if opposing quarterbacks weren’t hesitant to throw in his direction.

Florida International threw Talib’s way on the most promising drive of its Sept. 22 game against Kansas and he made them pay the ultimate price, returning it 102 yards for a touchdown. It was the kind of play that elevates college football stars to Heisman status.

Two weeks later against Kansas State, Talib helped Kansas seal its first victory in Manhattan since 1989. With the Wildcats just inside Jayhawk territory and trailing by six, Talib picked off a Josh Freeman pass with just more than a minute to play. Game over.

That game-changing ability is what links Talib to Woodson.

In 1997, Woodson had two interceptions against in-state rival Michigan State. Against Ohio State, he picked off a pass and returned a punt for a touchdown. At the time he received the Heisman, Woodson had seven interceptions, two receiving touchdowns and one punt return for a touchdown.

Talib has shown that he, just like Woodson, can excel in the spotlight. If quarterbacks challenge him, he can approach Woodson’s interception total. He’s already proven to be a more dangerous receiver than Woodson.

All that’s left is for Mangino to give Talib a shot at returning punts. He can’t do any worse than Anthony Webb.

— Edited by Tara Smith