Where will KU, K-State football go this bowl season? Here are the latest projections

How long has it been since both the Kansas Jayhawks and K-State Wildcats were bowl eligible during the same football season?

Really long.

You have to go all the way back to 2003 to find an example of each Sunflower State team making it to the postseason. Back then, the Jayhawks earned a berth in the Tangerine Bowl against North Carolina State and the Wildcats made it to the Fiesta Bowl against Ohio State.

Where will KU (6-3, 3-3 Big 12) and K-State (6-3, 4-2) end up playing later this year, or possibly in January? Good question. Much will be decided over the final three weeks of the regular season. For now, many options are on the table.

Here is a look at the latest projections:

Kansas Jayhawks bowl outlook

Remaining schedule: at Texas Tech, Texas, at K-State.

Current Big 12 rank: T5

Bowl possibilities: First Responder Bowl vs. San Diego State via The Action Network, First Responder Bowl vs. Memphis via Yahoo Sports, Liberty Bowl vs. Connecticut via The Athletic, Liberty Bowl vs. Missouri via CBS Sports, Guaranteed Rate Bowl vs. Iowa via Sporting News,

Analysis: Kansas is going to a bowl for the first time since 2008, so KU fans will probably end up being happy about any destination on the postseason map.

The Jayhawks could theoretically climb all the way up to the Sugar Bowl by winning out and hoisting a trophy at the Big 12 championship game next month. But they will also be underdogs in each of their remaining three games. So it’s probably best to set our sights a little lower for the moment.

If KU finishes fifth in the conference standings, its three most likely bowl destinations will be the Texas Bowl, Liberty Bowl and Guaranteed Rate Bowl. The Texas Bowl would come into play if two Big 12 teams reach a playoff-affiliated bowl, as it picks fourth in the Big 12 bowl order followed by Liberty, Guaranteed Rate and then the First Responder Bowl.

If the Jayhawks finish the season on a losing streak, the Armed Forces Bowl or a random bowl unaffiliated with the Big 12 could come into play. The Liberty Bowl and Texas Bowl could create some fun matchups, as they pit the Big 12 against the SEC every year. That means Missouri could be a potential opponent.

Who would say no to the Border War in a bowl game?

K-State Wildcats bowl outlook

Remaining schedule: at Baylor, at West Virginia, Kansas.

Current Big 12 rank: T2

Bowl possibilities: Guaranteed Rate Bowl vs. Purdue via The Action Network, Cheez-It Bowl vs. North Carolina via The Athletic and CBS Sports, Cheez-It Bowl vs. Notre Dame via Yahoo! Sports, Alamo Bowl vs. Utah via Sporting News.

Analysis: The Wildcats can still climb as high as the Sugar Bowl if they win the Big 12 championship next month. Some nice consolation bowls would await them if they fall short of that lofty goal.

One would think K-State is on the Cheez-It Bowl radar. The Wildcats were finalists for an invitation to the Orlando, Florida, game the past two times they were bowl eligible but got passed over for Iowa State. Well, the Cyclones won’t stand in their way this season.

The Wildcats have never played in a Florida bowl game before, and this would be a great opportunity to end that drought. North Carolina and Notre Dame have been mentioned as possible opponents. The Cheez-It Bowl gets third pick behind the Alamo Bowl, so K-State will need to remain in the top four of the conference standings to have a shot.

A strong finish could also earn the Wildcats a trip back to the Alamo Bowl for the third time. The Wildcats will happily go there and face a Pac-12 opponent if they wind up in second or third.

If neither of those bowls are interested, things will get interesting. The Texas Bowl picks next. That would normally be a good spot for K-State, but the Wildcats beat LSU in that game last season. Bowls tend to avoid repeat teams. The Liberty Bowl picks after that. It’s fair to wonder if that game might also be undesirable for both parties, as K-State played and lost in Memphis twice recently.

It’s possible the Guaranteed Rate Bowl in Phoenix could come into play if the Wildcats stumble down the stretch. But it’s hard to see them slipping any further down the ladder than that.