“I’ve got a team to fight for. I’m not going to be pushed around, and I’m not going to let this university be pushed around, because we’re not the big BCS spender in the league. I’m not going to allow that.” - Mark Mangino, 11-13-2014, “Dollar Signs”
Mark Mangino came to KU in the 2002 season, his first win a 44-24 triumph over Southwest Missouri State (now Missouri State). The Jayhawks would only win one more time that year, but went bowling the very next year (2003) for the first time since 1995.
Year 3 was a bit of a struggle, as the Jayhawks lost early season heartbreakers to Northwestern (20-17), Texas Tech (31-30), and Nebraska (14-8).