photo by: AP Photo/Morry Gash

LSU head coach Les Miles watches during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Wisconsin Saturday, Sept. 3, 2016, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

How close we are to reaching the finish line in Jeff Long’s search to find the Kansas football team’s next head coach remains to be seen.

But here at KUsports.com, our tournament-themed quest to land on the best possible candidate is humming right along.

Some coaches with serious promise and/or experience didn’t survive the second-round voting.

Eliminated in Round 2:

Greg Schiano – Ohio State defensive coordinator

Neal Brown – Troy head coach

Jim McElwain – Former Florida and Colorado State head coach

Major Applewhite – Houston head coach

Scott Satterfield – Appalachian State head coach

Matt Wells – Utah State head coach

Troy Calhoun – Air Force head coach

Jim Leavitt – Oregon defensive coordinator

It’s now Day 3 of our KU Football Coaching Search Bracket, and you, the program’s fans, have trimmed the list of candidates down to eight. The tightest Round 2 matchup was between Tulane’s Willie Fritz and Houston’s Major Applewhite, with the veteran Fritz edging the young Applewhite, 51% to 49%.

Thus far, the top seeds from each region, Les Miles, Jeff Monken, Dave Doeren and Seth Littrell, remain in the mix as we’ve reached the regional final round of our interactive hunt for the Jayhawks’ next coach.

Here’s the rundown of our Round 3 matchups. Make your selections Friday, and Final Four voting will begin on Monday.

RIGGINS REGION

• Les Miles – Former LSU and Oklahoma State head coach vs. Chris Klieman – North Dakota State head coach

HADL REGION

• Jeff Monken – Army head coach vs. Willie Fritz – Tulane head coach

SAYERS REGION

• Dave Doeren – North Carolina State head coach vs. Bryan Harsin – Boise State head coach

REESING REGION

• Seth Littrell – North Texas head coach vs. Jason Candle – Toledo head coach

— Now’s your chance. Pick KU football’s next head coach at our bracket: 2018 KU Football Coaching Search Bracket

Eliminated in Round 1:

Mike Locksley – Alabama offensive coordinator

Lance Leipold – Buffalo head coach

Bret Bielema – Former Arkansas and Wisconsin head coach

Mike Norvell – Memphis head coach

Butch Jones – Former Tennessee and Cincinnati head coach

Mike MacIntyre – Colorado head coach

Todd Graham – Former Arizona State and Pitt head coach

Ed Warinner – Ohio State O-line coach

Tim Beck – Texas offensive coordinator

Ken Niumatalolo – Navy head coach

Jeff Tedford – Fresno State head coach

Chris Creighton – Eastern Michigan head coach

Frank Wilson – UT-San Antonio head coach

Brian Bohannon – Kennesaw State head coach

Craig Bohl – Wyoming head coach

Dan Enos – Alabama quarterbacks coach and associate head coach