A great memory isn’t required to recall all that Kansas has accomplished under Mark Mangino.

It was just two years ago that Mangino was the consensus National Coach of the Year, having led the Jayhawks to an Orange Bowl win in the school’s first January bowl game since 1969.

There were the four bowl games in a six-year span (2003-2008), back-to-back bowl games for the first time in school history and more wins and more attention and more weeks in the national polls than anyone around Lawrence could remember at the basketball school.

In the span of a few weeks, however, fond memories have been erased by tales of player unrest and an internal investigation into charges that Mangino mistreated players.

None of this, of course, came to light when the Jayhawks were winning big in recent years, or even when KU stood 5-0 earlier this season.

But a six-game losing streak and 5-6 record heading into Saturday’s Border War at Arrowhead Stadium have brought apparent skeletons out of the locker room.

And Mangino’s future appears doomed.

While the university sorts it all out, Mangino’s peers jumped to his defense this week. Texas Tech’s Mike Leach, who worked with Mangino on the same staff at Oklahoma, called the happenings in Lawrence a “witch hunt.”

“Heaven forbid somebody should ask a (player) to pay attention and focus in for the sake of all his teammates and coaches and everyone else,” Leach said. “Well, there’s different ways to ask a guy to do that, and sometimes, after you’ve asked him a number of times, you raise the bar.

“The mean old man told some player something he didn’t want to hear. Well, there’s a mean man in Lubbock that tells people stuff they don’t want to hear, too, and that’s just part of it.”

Bob Stoops, who worked with Mangino at OU and Kansas State, spoke of how Mangino cared for players when working together.

“He was very close with them, appreciated them and did everything that was appropriate,” Stoops said.

Mangino said he was pushing on, preparing for Saturday’s game.

Kansas still held hope of earning a third straight bowl trip, a feat that would be unprecedented at the school.

“It hasn’t played out yet,” Mangino said. “And certainly it’s not over.”

Scoreboard

Oklahoma State 31, Colorado 28
Texas Tech 41, Oklahoma 13
Missouri 34, Iowa State 24
Texas A&M 38, Baylor 3
Nebraska 17, Kansas State 3
Texas 51, Kansas 20

Texas, OSU Linked To BCS Dreams

Texas clinched the South Division title, routing Kansas, yet still has work to do in its quest to play for the national championship.

The Longhorns still face games against rival Texas A&M (on Thanksgiving night) and then North champion Nebraska in the Big 12 title game.

Oklahoma State might as well be flashing the Hook ’Em sign, although it has its own business to tend to, with Saturday’s Bedlam clash with Oklahoma for a Fiesta Bowl bid — IF Texas wins out and reaches its dream destination.

Sources told The Oklahoman that a 10-2 Cowboys team would be the Fiesta Bowl’s first choice in filling the Arizona bowl’s slots, as long as Texas advances to the BCS championship.

That’s the only scenario putting two Big 12 teams in BCS bowls.

Player of the Week: Colt McCoy, QB, Texas

In the Horns’ South-clinching romp past Kansas, McCoy completed 32-of-41 passes for 396 yards and four touchdowns, strengthening his position in the Heisman race. The victory was the 43rd of his career — the most by a starting quarterback in NCAA history. McCoy, who also ran for 29 yards, tossed scoring passes of 68, 41, 38 and 12 yards to four different receivers.

Week 12: In The Spotlight

Game of the Week: Bedlam, Oklahoma State at Oklahoma. The tables have turned in this heated rivalry, with the Sooners playing the uncharacteristic role of spoiler. The Cowboys can move closer to a Fiesta Bowl berth with a win, while the 6-5 Sooners are mired in the worst season in Norman since Bob Stoops’ 1999 debut. Injury-riddled OU has little to play for other than bragging rights, with a low-level bowl bid in its future.

Player to Watch: Zac Robinson, QB, Oklahoma State. Robinson missed last week’s game, when Colorado nearly stunned the Cowboys in Stillwater. Still recovering from a brutal hit by Texas Tech’s Jamar Wall the week before, Robinson’s status for Bedlam remains in question, although indications early in the week suggested he would play. His presence running the offense figures to be vital, although Brandon Weeden rallied the Pokes in the second half against the Buffs.

Coach to Watch: Mark Mangino, Kansas. There was some question of whether Mangino would survive the week, let alone the season. KU remains in the hunt for a bowl bid with one game to play.

Program to Watch: Nebraska. The Huskers have won four straight to earn their spot in the Big 12 title game. A Friday game at Colorado could be tricky, with these two teams developing a real distaste for each other over the years. If the Buffs have anything left, they’ll let it all hang out for Nebraska.

Upset Alert: Texas at Texas A&M. These Aggies are hard to figure. They’ve had wins in which they’ve scored 41, 38, 56, 52, 35 and 38 points. And losses in which they’ve surrendered 47, 36, 62 and 34. They’ve played the role of spoiler in this series before, knocking off Texas two of the last three years.

Stock Rising: Mike Gundy, Coach, Oklahoma State. The fifth-year coach has navigated serious personnel losses, including All-American wide receiver Dez Bryant, keeping the Cowboys pushing forward. At 9-2, the Pokes hold BCS hopes and will be in a bowl game for a fourth straight season. UT’s Mack Brown and Kansas State’s Bill Snyder will warrant serious consideration for Big 12 Coach of the Year, but Gundy should be right there in the discussion.

Stock Falling: Oklahoma’s defense. The Sooner D may be tiring under the massive burden that is keeping OU’s season afloat, with the offense crippled and struggling. While hailed much of the season, the Sooners were torched in a 41-13 loss at Texas Tech.

By The Numbers

1 — Texas’ quarterback is the first quarterback in Big 12 history to throw for at least 20 touchdowns in four different seasons.

83 — Wins by Texas Tech coach Mike Leach, moving him alone atop the school victories list.

97 — Texas A&M running back Christine Michael set a school record for longest run and longest play from scrimmage with his 97-yard touchdown run against Baylor.

This Week’s Games (All Times Central)

Thursday
Texas at Texas A&M, 7 p.m.

Friday
Nebraska at Colorado, 2:30 p.m.

Saturday
Oklahoma State at Oklahoma, 11:30 a.m.
Missouri vs. Kansas (Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City), 2:30 p.m.
Texas Tech vs. Baylor (Cowboys Stadium, Arlington), 5 p.m.