Cue the tape recorders. Looks like another media mudslinging party.

Kansas University’s 27-23 football loss last year to Texas was followed by Jayhawk coach Mark Mangino lashing out at officiating, refusing to credit Texas and saying “our kids outplayed them and should have won the game.”

Texas coach Mack Brown reminded his players of Mangino’s comments earlier this week. And the message was received with anger.

“I’m really ticked off right now,” quarterback Vince Young told the Austin American-Statesman on Monday, before adding, “when he said they outcoached and they outplayed us, he disrespected us. He should have said we wanted it more than they did.”

Mangino responded Tuesday, albeit briefly.

“If you’re the best team in America and you’re looking for motivation,” Mangino said, “maybe we’ve got a chance Saturday.”

So goes what should be an interesting week leading up to the 2:30 p.m. Saturday kickoff in Austin, Texas. Obviously, the heated ending to last season’s game – which had gasoline poured on it by Mangino’s postgame comments – still is fresh in the minds of everyone involved.

To refresh, Mangino was fuming over an offensive-pass-interference penalty on Charles Gordon that negated a 16-yard reception and a first down that probably would have sealed a KU victory. KU had to punt, and Texas scored the game-winning touchdown with 11 seconds left.

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After the game, Mangino implied that Texas’ shot at a high-payout Bowl Championship Series game was why the Longhorns were given the favorable call. And that upset some UT players.

“I took it personally, and the whole defense took it personally,” linebacker Aaron Harris told the American-Statesman. “It’s not good to make excuses when you lose.”

Mangino shrugged off the motivational tactic of the opposing players.

“Any comments I made, I retracted them,” Mangino said.

Not good enough, according to Young.

“What he wanted to say, he said first,” Young said. “What he said the second time, somebody told him to say.”

For the record, Mangino has spoken quite highly of the Longhorns this week, calling them the best team in college football and Young “the best player in the country.”

Whatever the case, KU quarterback Jason Swanson doesn’t seem the least bit interested in what may or may not be posted on bulletin boards.

“Last week, Zac Taylor said (Nebraska) wanted to put up 60, and they only put up 15,” Swanson said with a chuckle. “You can go out there and talk and say everything you want to say to the media, but when it comes down to it, you still have to play.”

¢ Big underdog: Many sports books are listing Texas as a 34-point favorite, a bit surprising considering KU has a defense ranked fifth in the nation. The Jayhawk players didn’t seem to care about that, either.

“I don’t expect for them to put up that many points,” safety Jerome Kemp said.

¢ Players of the week: Charlton Keith was named defensive player of the week for the Nebraska game after recording eight tackles. Clark Green was offensive player of the week, and Ronnie Amadi earned special-teams honors. Quarterback Kerry Meier was named offensive scout-team player of the week, while Lawrence High product Ian Handshy was defensive scout-team player of the week.