Pokes Preview: Kansas State
No. 14 Kansas State (7-1, 4-1 Big 12) at No. 3 Oklahoma State (8-0, 5-0 Big 12)
7 p.m. at Boone Pickens Stadium
The skinny on Kansas State
The surprise team of the Big 12 so far this season suffered its first loss last week when the Wildcats were throttled by No. 6 Oklahoma 58-17. K-State is in the middle of the stretch that should define its season—after visiting Stillwater, the Wildcats face Texas A&M and Texas in back-to-back weeks.
Numbers to know
29: The number of turnovers OSU has forced this season, the most in the nation
8: The number of times K-State has turned the ball over this season, the fifth-fewest in the nation
OSU players to watch: Jeremy Smith and Josh Cooper
Cooper left the Baylor game early in the first quarter with a pulled hamstring, while Smith left in the third quarter with a hand injury. Mike Gundy said earlier this week that he did not believe either injury was serious, but if one/both players are limited or unavailable, it will be a slight blow to an offense already without Hubert Anyiam and Jonathan Rush for the season.
K-State player to watch: Collin Klein
The Wildcat quarterback is more dangerous as a runner than a thrower, giving the OSU defense a different type of challenge.
Matchups to watch
OSU offense vs. K-State offense
Talk about a clash of styles and pace. If Kansas State can shorten the game and churn the clock with it’s slow, rushing offense, it could hang in this game. But if the OSU defense can force turnovers at the same rate it has been all season and OSU gets in its up-tempo rhythm, things will get ugly for the Wildcats.
K-State defense vs. OSU passing game
The Wildcats gave up 520 passing yards against OU last week. Bill Snyder attributed that to poor coverage against the Sooners. Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon will make you pay for that.
Don’t be surprised if…K-State dominates the time of possession
The Wildcats huddle—a rarity in Big 12 football these days—and will run every second off the clock it can. And the OSU defense will give up yards, meaning K-State could put together some drives that eat up time. The Cowboys, conversely, rank last in the Big 12 in time of possession. But that quick-strike offense still leads the nation in scoring (49.9 points per game).
Uniform prediction: Orange jersey, white pants, white helmet
I don’t even know why I try to predict anymore, because I’m terrible at it. We have yet to see the traditional home look, and I doubt we’ll see that for Bedlam (I’m thinking all black?). So, yeah, we’ll go with that. Which means I’ll be wrong.
Final score prediction
OSU 38, K-State 20
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