Kansas State heads into Saturday’s trip to Boulder with the kind of uncertainty that can turn a season fast. The Wildcats, sitting at 4-3 overall and 1-3 in Big 12 play, are trying to steady themselves in a road matchup against Colorado, a team that has dropped five straight and is still searching for traction.
The game is set for Saturday, Oct. 31, at 1 p.m. CT at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado. TNT will carry the broadcast, and the game will also stream on Sling.
The biggest storyline for Kansas State remains under center. Avery Johnson has been ruled out for the second consecutive week, leaving the Wildcats to navigate another game with a backup quarterback. That puts extra pressure on an offense already facing a thin margin for error.
Colorado enters at 2-5 overall and 0-4 in the Big 12 after a 57-24 loss at Oklahoma State last week. The Buffaloes have also fallen to Northwestern, Texas Tech and Utah during this five-game skid, and coach Deion Sanders’ name continues to surface in hot-seat conversations as the possibility of missing a bowl game for the third time in four seasons grows.
Prediction: Colorado 24, Kansas State 17
With Avery Johnson out, the Wildcats face a situation similar to last week. With a backup quarterback, the margins will be thin against another team that isn't very good and is having quarterback problems of its own.
After losing their last five, the Buffaloes' schedule hasn't been kind to them. They've lost to Northwestern, Texas Tech, Utah and Oklahoma State over this stretch. The Buffs are due, and there's no better time than at home, when the Wildcats are most vulnerable.
In Other News...
Kansas State Suddenly Has A Quarterback Debate Fans Can't Ignore
Kansas States trip to Folsom Field ended in a 27-24 overtime loss to Colorado, but the bigger conversation may have been the Wildcats quarterback usage. The offense leaned on two different passers, and Blake Barnett helped spark a late touchdown drive that gave Kansas State a chance to extend the game after a night when the defense had its share of problems but still came up with a few late punts to keep the door open.
Barnetts role in that rally only sharpened the question of how Kansas State wants to handle the position moving forward. In a game decided by a handful of plays, the Wildcats found enough late energy to erase a deficit and force overtime, but the split approach under center leaves plenty to sort out as the season moves on. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Leaves Colorado With A Bigger Problem Than Another Loss
Kansas States trip to Colorado ended the same way too many of its recent Saturdays have, with another close loss and another reminder that the Wildcats are still searching for answers under first-year coach Chris Klieman. The 27-24 overtime defeat was their second straight and fourth in five games, a stretch that has left little margin for error as the season wears on.
The quarterback situation only added to the uncertainty. Sophomore Dillon Duff got the start, but Blake Barnett finished the game after the Wildcats made a switch and helped spark a late comeback attempt that fell just short. Colorado, meanwhile, finally got its first Big 12 conference win of the season, leaving Kansas State with more to sort through than the final score alone. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Turns To An Unknown QB In A Brutal Spot
Kansas State is making a major quarterback pivot at a difficult time, with Dillon Duff set to make his first career start against Colorado. Duff has not appeared in a collegiate game before this opportunity, and his path to the lineup has been slowed by a preseason injury that kept him out until he was recently cleared to play.
Collin Klein has sounded encouraged by what he has seen from Duff behind the scenes, pointing to his work ethic and decision-making as reasons the Wildcats are willing to trust him in a pressure-packed spot. For a team looking for stability at the most important position, this is a big leap of faith, and it will say plenty about where Kansas State stands in the quarterback room going forward. [Read more 🡒]