Thursday, October 29, 2009
Kansas has lost back-to-back games. Its defense, although not as porous as it was against Iowa State and Southern Miss, still yields too easily. Veterans are dropping on the depth chart, giving way to younger, less experienced players. The offense, once thought an unstoppable juggernaut, can’t score at all early, or much thereafter. Todd Reesing hardly looks like a guy who, just weeks ago, was thought a dark horse Heisman candidate. Jake Sharp is still hurting, and so is the running game. At least the kicker is playing well.
Amidst this litany of problems, the Jayhawks head to Lubbock, Texas. There, they will be tasked with shutting down one of the most prolific passing offenses in the nation on its home turf. Granted, Texas Tech looked entirely vulnerable against Texas A&M last week, but that’s just all the more reason for Mike Leach to come out guns blazing. An ever-changing Jayhawk secondary will find itself in that imposing line of fire. There’s no reason to believe it’ll fare even remotely well. So Kansas’ offense will, almost without a doubt, need to score in spades. Which, given recent events, doesn’t seem as likely as it once did.
Basically, this all boils down to one rather simple fact: There’s no sound reason to expect that Kansas will win Saturday. Honestly, there’s more evidence to suggest that the Jayhawks might get blown out.
And, believe it or not, that’s the good news. For the first time in a while, Kansas gets to return to the role of the underdog, where it’s apparently much more comfortable. At least that appears to be the case, especially if previous years are any indication.
The Orange Bowl-winning squad, of course, rose from obscurity to pull off shocker after shocker. The nation waited for Kansas to falter, and only when the national spotlight began to burn brightest, against Missouri, did Kansas lose. Then the expectations vanished and the Jayhawks surprised Virginia Tech.
Kansas then faced South Florida early the following season, at which time both teams were ranked. Of course, Kansas blew a sizable lead, then fell just short with its comeback attempt. Kansas proceeded to recover and ascend the rankings, but then dropped back-to-back games — including a lopsided defeat at the hands of Texas Tech in Lawrence. On the verge of a good-but-not-great season, Kansas pulled out a classic victory against Missouri, then doubled-up Minnesota in the Insight Bowl.
This year began with reasonably high hopes, which have quickly dissipated. Expectations of a conference title, if there ever were any, are gone now. Even prospects of winning the Big 12 North look increasingly bleak. And a potential BCS bowl trip? That’s funny. Kansas isn’t even ranked anymore. It is completely and totally off the national radar.
And given the Jayhawks’ performance thus far, that’s precisely where they belong. But that’s not a bad thing. It’s in that state of anonymity they seem to play their best.
— Edited by Sarah Kelly
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