Notebook: New Mexico next in line for Fort Worth Bowl

Fort Worth Bowl executive director Tom Starr has a backup plan if the Big 12 Conference fails to produce one more bowl-eligible team.

New Mexico received a conditional invitation to play in the Fort Worth Bowl, which will become an all-out invite if the Big 12 or Conference USA fails to fill its reserved slot.

The Fort Worth Bowl generally takes the No. 4 C-USA team and, as of now, only three have qualified. There are four others — UAB, Houston, Memphis and Southern Mississippi — with 5-5 records, though, so one of them qualifying is likely.

As for the Big 12, the Fort Worth Bowl takes the No. 8 team, and seven have qualified heading into this week. Kansas is the most likely to make it eight, though it is an underdog heading into today’s game with Iowa State.

In the two-year history of the Fort Worth Bowl, the Big 12 never has qualified enough teams to fill its reserved slot. C-USA has sent TCU and Cincinnati the past two years.

¢ Moving on up: Quiet as always, KU senior running back Clark Green eclipsed a couple of big names on KU’s career rushing yardage list Nov. 12 against Texas. Now with 2,699 career yards, Green is fourth on the all-time list, passing Gale Sayers and John Riggins.

Ahead of Green are June Henley (3,841), Tony Sands (3,788) and Laverne Smith (3,074). Green also has 1,226 career receiving yards.

¢ Steady Eddie: The kicking game has been a sore subject around KU in the Mark Mangino era, but that’s not the case this year. Scott Webb has given Mangino a reliable leg, booting 20 of 22 point-after attempts and 11 of 14 field goals. Webb has missed field goals of 46, 41 and 51 yards. He’s 9-for-9 kicking inside 40 yards.

¢ New dean: Bill Snyder’s retirement after Saturday’s victory over Missouri makes Iowa State coach Dan McCarney the longest-tenured coach in the Big 12 — so long, in fact, that he’s the only one who was still coaching in the Big 8. “I guess I’m a survivor,” McCarney quipped.

¢ This, that: KU has outscored opponents, 153-59, this season at home. … Linebacker Nick Reid needs just six tackles to reach 100 for the third straight season. … KU is allowing 20.3 points per game, the lowest average it’s had since the 1982 season. … KU is sixth in NCAA Division I-A with 8.9 tackles for loss per game. Only Nebraska, Miami (Fla.), Florida State, North Carolina State and Rutgers are in the backfield more.

The Associated Press contributed information for this report.