Kansas City, Mo. ? Something appears to be amiss on Kansas University’s proposed football schedule for 2005.

The Jayhawks have eight games on the slate, none before Oct. 1.

KU hasn’t lined up any nonconference games for next season, but it’s not for a lack of trying. A combination of NCAA regulations is making it more difficult — and more expensive — to schedule games.

The NCAA has mandated that a Division I-A school has to win six games to become bowl-eligible, and a team only can count a victory against a Division I-AA opponent — as KU did last year with Jacksonville State — toward that total once every four years.

A newer rule has complicated the matter, requiring all Division I-A teams to play at least five home games against I-A opponents. Lower-level I-A teams that used to play few home dates and were willing to play road games for a one-time guaranteed payday — rather than a home-and-home series or a two-for-one deal — now must play five home games and aren’t readily available for bigger schools to fill their schedules.

“There’s only two or three leagues that are I-A that are even willing to play a guarantee game,” said Kansas associate athletic director Larry Keating, who used the MAC and Sun Belt conferences as examples. “It’s tightened up the market. In some cases, they’re not available. In other cases, it’s driven up the price. It’s become more expensive because there’s less availability. It’s reduced the number of I-A teams willing to pay for a guarantee by 60 of 70 percent.”

Smaller I-A schools know they’re in demand, and they’re cashing in. Keating said he knew of one school that had upped the ante by offering an opponent $750,000 for a guarantee game. That’s a big jump from the standard $400,000 to $500,000 and a giant leap from the $300,000 to $350,000 that Kansas had paid in the past.

KU coach Mark Mangino said he had heard of a school pondering the $1 million mark.

“Holy cow,” he said. “If that’s true, not many teams are going to be able to keep up with that.”

Keating is hoping that the NCAA will allow teams to play 12 games each season — instead of the standard 11. If that happens, the NCAA likely would allow teams to count a victory against a I-AA team toward bowl-eligibility each year. The field of possible opponents would expand, and the demand for smaller I-A foes would drop — and so should their asking price.

“You just have to gut it out,” Keating said, “and keep on top of what the rules are.”

Kansas University offensive lineman Joe Vaughn, last year's Big 12 Conference newcomer of the year, is interviewed by FOX Sports Net TV. Vaughn took part in league media days Thursday in Kansas City, Mo.