Kansas University senior linebacker Nick Reid and junior cornerback Charles Gordon, defensive standouts for the Jayhawks, are vying for different player-of-the-year awards.

Last week, Gordon was named among 50 players on the preseason watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, given to the top defensive player in football. Reid didn’t make that list.

But Reid is on a similar watch list for a different award with the same criteria: He’s one of 50 finalists for the Chuck Bednarik Award, also given to the top defensive player in college football. Gordon didn’t make that list.

So what’s the difference? The Bednarik is voted on by head coaches, members of the Maxwell Football Club and various sports-media members. The Nagurski is voted on and handed out by the Football Writers Association of America.

Annual predictions unkind to Jayhawks

Preseason preview magazines have bombarded news stands everywhere, but those with favorable predictions for KU this fall are hard to find.

The Sporting News and Athlon’s predict Kansas to finish last in the Big 12 North, while Lindy’s is forseeing a fifth-place finish, in front of only Kansas State.

Said Lindy’s: “Getting back to postseason play will be a tall order for the Jayhawks.”

Collegefootballnews.com recently re-ranked the 119 Division I-A teams in order, with Kansas coming in 42nd. The Big 12 North was squished together, with Missouri, Colorado, Iowa State, Nebraska, Kansas and Kansas State — in that order — ranking between 29 and 47.