Who: Kansas State Wildcats 3-3 (0-3) vs. Texas Longhorns 2-4 (1-2)
When: Saturday October 24, 2015 at 11:00 AM Central
Where: Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, Austin TX (Fox Sports 1)
Odds: Texas -4
The Good: Let’s start with the obvious. Over the last decade, Kansas State has owned this Longhorn program. The purple haze in Manhattan looms large in the heads of most Texas fans and reminds them of disaster games when they were dominated in all aspects of the game. The Wildcats will need to lean on that psychological edge, because their football team hasn’t been very good this year. Kansas State also has the advantage of the ageless Bill Snyder on the sideline. The old man seems to know how to get his team prepared for big games and pose a problem for the opposition. The Wildcats were in position to win games against Oklahoma State and TCU, but ultimately fell short. Quarterback Joe Hubener has been a one man show for State on offense. The Wildcat quarterback is the second leading rusher on the team with 6 touchdowns, and he’s added another 4 passing. Justin Silmon is the name to know at running back as he is averaging 4.7 YPC on the year. With Tyler Lockett gone the Wildcats are looking for some help at wide receiver. Dominique Heath and Deante Burton lead the team in receptions and yards this season and have the ability to pester the Longhorn defense if their problems in pass coverage persist.
The Bad: As productive as Hubener has been, he is not much of a threat as a passer. Hubener is currently 45% passing with an equal 4 touchdowns to interceptions. The wildcats are averaging around 7 yards per attempt through the air, and will look to get it done with guile and a physical running game once again. The Wildcats show a propensity to pass more in road situations, but they also nearly double their penalties in the visiting stadiums. Snyder’s team is also coming off of an embarrassing blowout at the hands of Oklahoma. Stoops and company rolled into Manhattan one week after being stunned by Texas and totally took it to K-State. It has been quite a while since this program was embarrassed in that fashion.
The Uncertain: With the schedule Kansas State had this season, it’s hard to tell what kind of team they are. The Wildcats struggled to look truly dominant against South Dakota and held on for an overtime win over Louisiana Tech. They also played TCU and Oklahoma State to the wire before being blown out of the water by Oklahoma. While it’s hard to tell, this team looks very similar to the Longhorns in that they have the ability to rise up and play some inspired football, but they haven’t been able to put it all together on the field. Will Kansas State come out motivated after suffering a humiliating loss, or are the Wildcats reeling and headed into a rejuvenated Austin, TX?
What’s at stake: Kansas State is looking very wobbly and it’s clear that a loss this week could shoot their wheels off. Texas is looking to get the season on track after a stunner against Oklahoma last week. A big win against a historical menace would go a long way towards that, and could provide Texas with the confidence and momentum to make a run en route to closing the season.
