LAWRENCE, Kan. -Shaken and distraught, Charlie Strong faced microphones Saturday and said he didn’t know what his Texas coaching future holds.

“No, I don’t,” Strong said, looking down. “No idea.”

His emotions betrayed him. Oh, he knew. Pretty much everyone in burnt orange fully realized the ramifications of the 24-21 overtime loss at Kansas, a can’t-lose game if there ever was for Strong to return in 2017.

So it will be three and out for Strong -- despite the strong support of President Greg Fenves and athletic director Mike Perrin.

“Now they have little choice,” said a source familiar with the internal Texas debate who expects Strong to be fired. The only concern would be the hefty buyouts for Strong (nearly $11 million) and his assistants with guaranteed contracts, the source said.

“Lots of dollars for everyone ... but it isn’t enough to save Charlie,” said the source.

Strong now stands 16-20 with the worst winning percentage in school history. At 5-6 (3-5 in the Big 12), Texas may miss a bowl for the second consecutive season in a less-than-overwhelming conference. He was hired to replace Mack Brown after an 8-4 regular season in 2013. Texas hasn’t won more than six games under Strong.

Perrin declined to answer questions after Matthew Wyman’s game-winning 25-yard field goal. Strong’s wife, Victoria, was holding back tears listening to her husband. Texas players were stunned and angry. Defensive end Charles Omenihu threw his helmet into the turf in frustration.

"I love him, but like I said, that's not our decision,” defensive back DeShon Elliott said. “We can't make that decision. It's the AD and all the men up there."

Asked about the talk regarding Strong’s future, receive Jacorey Warrick said: “We’re not deaf. We hear it.”

They’ll hear a lot more of it this week, building to an inevitable end. The only real question is timing.

Texas’ administration hasn’t ever fired a football coach during the season and everything about the management style of Fenves indicates he doesn’t want to break that precedent. There was no indication of any impending announcements.

But the end is coming for Strong, with an official announcement on hold after Friday’s regular-season finale against TCU, which could mean a very awkward few days before a potential pursuit of Houston coach Tom Herman, the consensus choice of Texas donors, and maybe a few other candidates begins in earnest.

Fenves and Perrin had remained steadfast in support of Strong through this season, certainly not expecting a loss to Kansas.

The Jayhawks (2-9, 1-7 Big 12) had last beaten Texas in 1938, before the attack on Pearl Harbor, The Wizard of Oz and the birth of Bill Snyder. Kansas had dropped 19 straight Big 12 conference games.

Somehow, Texas committed six turnovers and blew an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter.

Added Strong: “It was there for us.”

Then it went away before an announced crowd of 25,673 that managed to claim one goal post.

Junior running back D'Onta Foreman, who finished with 250 yards on a school-record 51 carries, had given Texas a 21-10 lead with 13:34 to play in the fourth quarter on a 1-yard run.

But after a Kansas touchdown and two-point conversion, Texas was driving again to put the game away late when Foreman fumbled at the Kansas 18.

"If I didn't put the ball on the ground a second time, we probably score and win the game," Foreman said.

Kansas took advantage on a late 52-yard drive that ended with Wyman’s tying 36-yard field goal with seven seconds remaining.

On Texas’ first possession in overtime, Shane Buechele threw his third interception then Kansas capitalized as a 24-point underdog.

“It’s saddening to be where we are right now,” offensive tackle Connor Williams said.

Twitter: @ChuckCarltonDMN

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