Premium ContentClick on Premium Content on the Featured navigation bar for information.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Heading into what could be his final week as head coach at Kansas, Mark Mangino might still position the Jayhawks for a school-record third straight bowl game.
A victory over archrival Missouri this week would snap a six-game losing streak and make Kansas postseason eligible amid all the turmoil and controversy.
In the meantime, the internal investigation into allegations of verbal and emotional abuse by the 53-year-old coach headed into its second week. Former players have alleged that Mangino was abusive in things he said. He has not been accused of physical abuse.
It's unlikely anything will be done regarding Mangino's employment until the report has been completed and digested by university officials and lawyers. Mangino's contract was extended after the 2007 season and runs through 2012.
The Jayhawks (5-6, 1-6) lost to No. 3 Texas on Saturday 51-20.
Mangino, the national coach of the year in 2007, said following the loss the Jayhawks remain united as a team.
“Let me say this, I am privileged to coach these kids,” he said.
“They are a 5-6 football team, it is one of the most resilient bunch of kids I've ever been around. I can't give you the exact reasons for that, but I think that everything they do together really makes it a united football team.”
The Jayhawks won their first five games this year and rose to No. 16 in the national rankings.
But then quarterback Todd Reesing went into a slump along with the rest of the team, and their season went into a tailspin.
Nevertheless, a victory over Missouri in Kansas City's Arrowhead Stadium would make them eligible for one more game.
Three teams reemerge in AP's Top 25
NEW YORK — Mississippi, California and North Carolina, teams that started the season with lofty expectations before stumbling, have surged back into the AP Top 25 college football poll.
There was little change, however, at the top of The Associated Press rankings Sunday after a weekend when most of the highly ranked teams had easy victories or time off.
No. 1 Florida was followed by fellow unbeatens Alabama, Texas, TCU, Cincinnati and Boise State.
Also holding their places were No. 7 Georgia Tech, No. 8 Pittsburgh and No. 9 Ohio State.
The Gators received 36 first-place votes, Alabama had 13 and Texas earned 11.
The only change in the top 10 came at No. 10. Oregon moved up a spot after LSU slipped seven places to No. 17 following a 25-23 loss at Ole Miss.
The top seven in the BCS standings released Sunday were the same as the AP Top 25.
In other news:
• Roger Hughes has been fired as the football coach at Princeton after 10 seasons.
• Youngstown State football coach Jon Heacock says he's stepping down after nine seasons that included one trip to the Football Championship Subdivision semifinals.
Copyright ©2012 Omaha World-Herald®. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, displayed or redistributed for any purpose without permission from the Omaha World-Herald.
