Kansas State vs. Oklahoma: Preview and Prediction
Here is everything you need to know about the upcoming Big 12 match up in our Kansas State vs. Oklahoma preview and prediction.
Game Info
11 a.m. CST, Saturday, October 26th, Manhattan, Kansas, Bill Snyder Family Stadium
TV: ABC (Bob Wischusen, Dan Orlovsky, Allison Williams)
Radio: Sooners Sports Network (Toby Rowland); K-State Sports Network (Wyatt Thompson); Sirius 136, XM 200
Opening Line: Oklahoma -19
Fun Fact: Oklahoma is the only current Big 12 program with a winning record against Kansas State since the league began in 1996. But OU has dominated the series with a 13-5 record in the Big 12-era.
Key Players
Oklahoma
RB Kennedy Brooks
Brooks is the team’s second leading rusher behind Jalen Hurts, but it would seem wise to try and lessen the injury potential against the stud QB by relying more on a strong stable of backs, led by Brooks. He is averaging a team-best 8.5 yards per carry this season, but he only has 45 carries in six games, along with two touchdowns. Last season against Kansas State, Brooks led the team with 94 yards on just five carries, while also scoring a pair of touchdowns.
Safety Delarrin Turner-Yell
Turner-Yell is a sophomore who is quietly putting together the best stretch of games of his young career. He has 31 tackles in the last four games after having just 12 tackles as a freshman last year. He was the team’s top tackler against Kansas and Texas. He also has two tackles for loss in his last three games, showing his ability to play in the box, which he will likely be doing against Kansas State this weekend.
Kansas State
WR Malik Knowles
Knowles played the second half last week against TCU and made an immediate impact with three catches for 48 yards, providing an immediate player to stretch the field in the passing game. K-State lacks that without Knowles in the line up, who was dealing with an injury. He is averaging 14.6 yards per catch this year and will need to have an explosive play or two (or more) for K-State to hang in this one.
DE Wyatt Hubert
Someone has to get pressure on Jalen Hurts for K-State to hang in this game and Hubert is the best bet. He’s second in the Big 12 with three sacks in conference play, but it won’t be easy against an OU team that has given up just five sacks in seven games. Hubert also leads the team with 5.0 tackles for loss.
Key Storylines
Oklahoma
The Sooners need to force some early three-and-outs against Skylar Thompson and the up-and-down Kansas State offense, keep the K-State defense on the field and wear them down with big plays. That’s what they’ve done against most of their opponents in the Lincoln Riley era, so don’t expect that game plan to change. Chris Klieman will want to use his offense as his best defense with lengthy, methodical, clock-eating drives. So if the new-look OU defense under Alex Grinch can do its job, then the OU offense gets rolling and is off to the races.
Kansas State
The Wildcats have the best scoring defense in the Big 12, giving up just 18.7 points per game. But the run defense has been bad, allowing 195.2 yards per game, which is the second-worst mark in the Big 12 Conference. Now, they’re coming in an OU team that is racking up 273.6 rushing yards per game. That’s not a good sign for Kansas State as they try to pull off the upset at home.
Prediction
Oklahoma 49, Kansas State 21
The Sooners don’t only have a running game that could rapidly wear down K-State, but the passing game, while the pure numbers may not be eye-popping, is the most efficient passing game in the Big 12, by a wide margin (215.0 vs. Iowa State at No. 2 with 168.1). But this OU team doesn’t just have a great offense, but a defense and special teams play that is getting better every week. K-State won a hard-fought game last week against TCU, but it was a game where they gave up 100 more yards than the Horned Frogs, had more penalties and were worse on third down. I don’t see the Wildcats pulling off the unthinkable this weekend.
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