Kansas State gets one more non-conference test Saturday morning, and the Wildcats are carrying plenty of momentum into it.
Tulane comes to Bill Snyder Family Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 19, for an 11 a.m. CT kickoff, with Kansas State looking to keep its fast start rolling before Big 12 play begins. The game will air nationally on ESPN2 and stream on ESPN+.
The Wildcats have been stingy from the opening whistle this season. Through two games, Kansas State still hasn’t allowed a touchdown on defense and has outscored opponents 105-10. That run continued in last week’s 34-7 win over Washington State, a game in which the Wildcats gave up just 166 total yards and never let the Cougars find the end zone.
That result also carried a little more weight because of the way Kansas State has looked under Collin Klein and his staff. The group appears to be buying in, and Saturday is another chance to show it before the schedule tightens.
The offense, though, had room for more. Quarterback Avery Johnson said after the Washington State game that he wasn’t satisfied with his performance, and he’ll be one of the biggest names to watch against Tulane.
Kansas State is also trying to get through the week healthy, with linebacker Mekhi Mason back in the mix after starting and tying for the team lead in tackles following an early exit against Nicholls. Left guard Tanner Morley is continuing to see more snaps after dealing with nagging preseason injuries, and the Wildcats are still monitoring Donovan McIntosh as he potentially gets ramped up.
Kansas State was also down to two healthy quarterbacks entering the Washington State game, with Blake Barnett and Dillon Duff both out.
Tulane arrives with a 1-1 record after a rocky opening stretch. The Green Wave lost 17-3 at Duke in Week 1, then needed a late game-winning touchdown drive to beat South Alabama 28-24. That’s a far cry from the team that reached the College Football Playoff last season, and the questions around Tulane have only grown through two weeks.
The matchup that jumps out most is Kansas State’s ground game against Tulane’s run defense. The Green Wave’s front has been one of the weakest in the country so far, and the Wildcats have been piling up yards on the ground.
If Tulane can’t tighten that up, Rodney Fields could be in line for a third straight game with at least 100 rushing yards. Joe Jackson should also have a chance to make his mark after Kansas State rolled up 295 rushing yards against Washington State.
That’s the kind of setup Kansas State wants in its final tune-up before Cincinnati comes to town for a Big 12 showdown. And if the Wildcats keep defending the way they have, Tulane could be walking into a long afternoon.
Prediction: Kansas State 37, Tulane 14.
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