One of the longest streaks of futility and frustration is finally coming to an end this college football season. For the first time since 1960, the New Mexico State Aggies are going to a bowl game.
This means a new FBS squad has the longest active bowl drought, and they actually play in a Power 5 conference.
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COMPARE: CFB Teams | CFB Players
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The Kansas Jayhawks now hold the dubious distinction of having gone the longest without making the postseason.
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COFFARO: Teams to Have Never Played in a Bowl Game
DOUGHTY: What is Wrong with Kansas Football?
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The last time Kansas played in a bowl game was December 31, 2008, as it knocked off Minnesota 42-21 in the Insight Bowl. So much time has passed since the victory that the bowl game has been called the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, TicketCity Cactus Bowl, and currently goes by the name Cactus Bowl (sans sponsor).
The Jayhawks are on their third coach since the postseason thumping of Minnesota and have gone just 19-88 since. It still hasn't won a road game since it knocked off UTEP in 2009 in El Paso, and KU hasn't won a Big 12 road contest since it beat Iowa State in 2008.
In looking at the Jayhawks' 2018 schedule, it's tough to find the six wins needed for bowl eligibility. Its best chance is to open up 3-0 against a somewhat soft non-conference schedule and then knock off a Baylor team that went just 1-11 this year. Then again, the Bears routed the Jayhawks 38-9 in Lawrence back in early November.
Even if Kansas miraculously opens up 4-0, where will it find two more wins in conference play?
KU owns the bowl futility record by a country mile. After them, the next longest active bowl drought belongs to Louisiana-Monroe who last played in the 2012 Independence Bowl.
As Kansas fans prepare to dive headfirst now into the college basketball season, at least they can reminisce about the "epic" 2008 postseason triumph over the Golden Gophers.
