Kansas dropped the ball in Lincoln ­— literally and figuratively.

Kansas literally dropped it on special teams. They mishandled punts and kicks. Kansas’ average field position was an eye-popping 12 yards worse than Nebraska’s. That’s tough to overcome on the road in a hostile environment.

The first punt and kickoff returns weren’t even caught out of the air. On both occasions the ball nearly ricocheted off the return man and then rolled by him. The punt was downed by Nebraska, and Kansas managed next to nothing on the kick return.

Marcus Herford, a pre-season All-American, was fantastic last year, but he has been a disappointment this season. Freshman receiver Daymond Patterson impressed many in the non-conference season and thrilled the crowd with spectacular returns. That’s all in the past now. It’s straight up scary to watch Patterson field punts these days. The special team’s success is in the past, along with Kansas’ 5-1 record to start the season.

However, the special teams weren’t even close to the worst aspect in Saturday’s loss. It’s the fact that the team mishandled a terrific opportunity. The Jayhawks had their best chance to win in Lincoln in the last 40 years and they let it slip by.

They could have secured back-to-back bowl trips for the first time in 118 years of football at the University, and they let it get away. They could have moved back into the AP top 25 for this week’s showdown with Texas, and they failed to capitalize.

Kansas is 6-4 overall and 3-3 in the Big 12. Most college football experts have projected the Insight Bowl in Tempe, Ariz., the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas, or the Texas Bowl in Houston as likely destinations for the Jayhawks. After the loss, most people would be shocked to see Kansas finish the season anything other than 6-6. If Kansas loses to Texas and Missouri, it will finish the regular season a staggering 1-5 in the last six games.

I don’t mean to cut into any players or the team as a whole. It’s just disappointing. It’s disappointing the media can’t report another storybook season. It’s disappointing the fans who waited so long to see Kansas win a game at Nebraska didn’t get to see it happen. Most importantly it’s disappointing to the players who wanted all this and more.

It’s over now. The past is in the past. It may sound like coach-speak, but there’s no option left but to focus on Saturday’s opponent — Texas. All is not lost.

Kansas has one week to regroup before it faces a national title contender. The Jayhawks can pass, run and play defense. Their lineup consists of All-Americans and Heisman candidates. The only weakness on the team is a 109th ranked pass defense — which tops Kansas’ 116th ranked squad. On paper and in the minds of many, Texas is a clear favorite, but isn’t that how Kansas wants it to be?

The Jayhawks are underdogs again. Unlike last week’s game against Nebraska, no one expects them to knock off Texas. They will enter their home turf as underdogs for the first time since 2006, a field where they’ve only lost once in their last 15 tries.

Texas may have higher rated recruits on its roster, but it has missed out on talent that Kansas scooped up. Seven out of the 22 starters on the depth chart come from the Lone Star State. Most of them were passed on by Texas’ Mack Brown. Now these players can make a statement for themselves, for their team and for their fans.

A victory against Texas wouldn’t only improve Kansas to 7-4, but it would also make this season a successful one. Whether Kansas finishes at 9-4 or 7-6, a victory against Texas this Saturday would be validation that Kansas is moving in the right direction. It would be the perfect revenge for the controversial 27-23 loss in Lawrence in 2004.

A lot is at stake this weekend. Just because the ball was dropped in Lincoln doesn’t mean it can’t be picked back up this Saturday in Lawrence.

— — Edited by Lauren Keith