Columbia, Mo. ? Kansas, not Missouri, earned the coveted Bowl Championship Series at-large berth and a Jan. 3 trip to the Orange Bowl to face ACC champion Virginia Tech. Missouri heads to the Cotton Bowl and a New Year’s Day battle against No. 25 Arkansas, its southern neighbor.

Missouri coach Gary Pinkel and his players had nothing but good things to say about the Cotton Bowl selection, but knowing that the dreaded Jayhawks were headed to a more prestigious bowl, despite the loss to Missouri and lower rankings in both the AP and final BCS polls?

All-American tight end Martin Rucker acknowledged that the BCS selection process is a process not easily understood from the outside.

“I don’t know how it happens, I don’t know why it happens, but it happens,” he said. “We just have to be thankful for the bowl we got.”

BCS coordinator Mike Slive said that once the at-large teams are determined, the matchup choices are up to individual bowls.

“Kansas is very deserving of the BCS,” said Slive, who also is Southeastern Conference commissioner.

He later added, “I certainly would understand that (Missouri) could be very, very disappointed.”