Kansas State gets Tulane at a moment when the Wildcats are humming, but this matchup still carries a little history with it. These two teams met in Manhattan in 2022 and Tulane walked out with a 17-10 win, a result that sits right there alongside the rest of the series tension as the teams prepare for their fourth all-time meeting.
This one also closes out the schedule portion of a 2-for-1 deal, and the series is still tilted toward Tulane, which leads 2-1. The Green Wave beat Kansas State 20-16 in New Orleans in 1988, K-State answered with a 34-27 win in New Orleans two years ago, and then Tulane took the most recent matchup in Manhattan.
Saturday’s game will come with a different sideline look again for Tulane, too. Willie Fritz coached the 2022 win and is now at Houston, Jon Sumrall was on the other sideline two years ago and is now at Florida, and former Southern Mississippi head coach Will Hall is the Green Wave’s third head coach in three games.
Tulane arrives at 1-1 after a rough 17-3 loss to Duke to open the season, then a 28-24 bounce-back win over South Alabama last week. Even with that response, the Green Wave have not done much to suggest they’re walking into a comfortable afternoon in Manhattan.
The Wildcats, meanwhile, are 2-0 and hosting Tulane for Harley Day at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Kickoff is set for Saturday, September 19, at 11:00pm CT in Manhattan, Kansas.
The stadium is already sold out, with standing room only still available through the ticket office. Tickets are listed as low as $31, with a median price of $56.
Weather could be part of the story, at least before and after the game. Tailgate temperatures are expected to sit in the high 70s, then climb to 86° by kickoff and into the low 90s before the final gun.
Thunderstorms are in the evening forecast, though they’re not expected until well after the game. Still, if the system moves faster than expected, lightning delays late could become a factor.
Oddsmakers see Kansas State as a heavy favorite. DraftKings has the Wildcats at -20.5 with a 49.5 over, projecting a 35-15 K-State win. The money line sits at -1450 for Kansas State and +850 for Tulane.
In Other News...
Kansas State Win Revealed More Than Fans Will Like Before Big 12 Play
Kansas State closed non-conference play with a 31-20 win over Tulane, moving to 3-0 and giving the Wildcats a clean runway into Big 12 action. Avery Johnson was the headliner, piling up a career-high 152 rushing yards and two touchdowns, while the defense again showed it can lean on depth up front to keep the team in games.
Still, the win also offered a few reminders of what will matter once the league schedule starts. The offensive line had stretches that looked vulnerable, and the Wildcats had to finish without safety Logan Bartley after he left early because of injury, while defensive lineman Jordan Allen did not play. The record looks good, but the next phase will tell Kansas State a lot more about how complete this team really is. [Read more 🡒]
Collin Klein Sounds Off On One Kansas State Problem After Win
Collin Klein came away from Kansas States 31-20 win over Tulane with plenty to like, and he made sure to credit the back-and-forth nature of the game. He praised both teams for the adjustments they made as the night wore on, pointed to the defenses ability to bend without breaking on long Tulane drives, and noted that the offense found a better rhythm with Avery helping steady things.
Even with the victory in hand, Klein kept coming back to the same issue: the penalties. He said the Wildcats have to be more disciplined moving forward, even after a game in which special teams also did its part by limiting Tulanes return game. For Kansas State, it was the kind of win that showed progress in a few areas while leaving at least one familiar problem sitting in plain view. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State May Have Found The Linebacker It Needed Most
Kansas State has been searching for answers in the middle of its defense since Austin Romaine transferred to Texas Tech, and Gabe Powers is beginning to look like a player who can help steady that spot. The fifth-year senior, who arrived from Ohio State, has already started to settle in with the Wildcats and showed his value in a recent victory against Washington State, where he finished with four tackles.
Powers is expected to keep playing a major role as the schedule moves forward, and that matters for a defense still adjusting to life without Romaine. The fit has been encouraging enough that Kansas State may have found a linebacker who can give it the kind of reliability it needed most, even if the full picture is still coming into focus. [Read more 🡒]