Kansas State’s trip to Colorado on Saturday has the feel of a game that can sharpen the season in a hurry.
The Wildcats are in the middle of their only back-to-back road stretch of the year, and that comes after a 28-17 loss at Arizona State. Now they head to Folsom Field for a 1 p.m. kickoff against the Buffaloes, with a lot hanging over the next five weeks and not much room for error.
K-State and Colorado will meet in Boulder on Saturday, with TNT carrying the game. Radio coverage will be on KFNZ (96.5 FM and 610 AM) in Kansas City and KFH (1240 AM and 97.5 FM) in Wichita. The Wildcats are listed as 2.5-point favorites, with the over/under set at 48.5.
The biggest question for Kansas State remains at quarterback. Avery Johnson sat out the Arizona State game with an injury, and there still isn’t a timeline for his return. K-State coach Collin Klein said there are “more questions than answers” right now when it comes to Johnson’s health, which makes it possible - and maybe even likely - that Jacob Knuth gets another start.
That injury situation feeds directly into the bigger picture. At 4-3 overall and 1-3 in the Big 12, Kansas State is staring at a bowl path that gets a lot cleaner with a win in Boulder. The Wildcats likely need to grab at least two of their last five games to reach the postseason, and this matchup would give them some breathing room before the season’s closing run against Oklahoma State, TCU, Arizona and Iowa State.
Colorado, meanwhile, hasn’t exactly stabilized, but the Buffaloes have at least looked more competitive lately. They’ve dropped five straight and sit at the bottom of the conference standings, yet their last two games showed some fight. Utah had to hold them off in a 27-24 finish, and Oklahoma State was tied with Colorado at halftime before pulling away to win 57-24.
The player K-State will have to track most closely is Joseph Williams. The junior receiver has become one of the conference’s top threats, piling up 46 catches for 643 yards and five touchdowns. He was especially dangerous last week against Oklahoma State, when he caught nine passes for 135 yards.
And there’s one more wrinkle that makes this trip stand out for Klein. The Kansas State coach grew up in Loveland, just a short drive from Boulder, and he played at Folsom Field during his time as a Wildcats quarterback. This time, though, it will be his first visit there as a head coach - with plenty of friends and family likely in the stands.
In Other News...
Kansas State Suddenly Has A Season Problem It Cant Ignore
Kansas States season took another rough turn with a 28-17 loss to Arizona State, a defeat that left the Wildcats 4-3 overall and 1-3 in conference play. The problems were familiar and hard to ignore: the run game never found a rhythm, and the defense had just as much trouble slowing the Sun Devils on the ground, making it a frustrating afternoon for a team trying to stabilize under first-year coach Collin Klein.
There was at least some reassurance in the quarterback situation, where backup Jacob Knuth handled relief duties well after Avery Johnson was injured. Even so, the bigger concern is starting to define this team, because Kansas State cannot keep leaning on spot fixes while the same issues keep surfacing on both sides of the line of scrimmage. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State May Be Headed Into Colorado With A Risky QB Plan
Kansas State heads into its trip to Colorado still sorting out the most important position on the field, and the picture is far from settled. Avery Johnson, who had made 32 consecutive starts before missing the last game, is dealing with a neck and shoulder injury, while backup Jacob Knuth is also working through ankle issues. Coach Collin Klein has made it clear there is no guarantee either quarterback will be ready, leaving the Wildcats in a spot they would rather avoid this late in the season.
If both veteran options are sidelined, Kansas State could be forced to turn to one of its younger quarterbacks, Dillon Duff or Blake Barnett. Both have spent parts of the year recovering from injuries themselves, which only adds to the uncertainty around how the Wildcats will manage the position against Colorado. For a team trying to keep its offense on schedule, the next few days will determine whether this is a temporary hiccup or a much bigger problem. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Heads To Boulder With Less Margin Than Fans Expected
Kansas State heads to Boulder for a Big 12 matchup that looks a lot tighter on paper than some fans might have expected. The Wildcats are still getting the edge in the early market, but the number is slim enough to suggest oddsmakers see a game that could swing on a handful of possessions at Folsom Field.
The betting board also points to a fairly ordinary scoring range, which fits the feel of a conference game where both sides know each other well and margin for error is thin. Colorado gets the chance to defend home turf, while Kansas State will try to justify that slight favorite status in a spot where the line leaves very little room for comfort. [Read more 🡒]