Kansas State walks into Saturday with the pressure dialed all the way up.
The Wildcats are 4-4 after dropping back-to-back road games, and the slide has come with more than just losses on the ledger. Avery Johnson is likely done for the season, primary backup Jacob Knuth is out after aggravating an ankle injury at Arizona State, and last week at Colorado the quarterback carousel kept spinning. Dillon Duff got the start, but after three ineffective drives he was replaced by Blake Barnett, who gave K-State a steadier hand without being enough to pull out the win against Colorado or overcome a defense that hasn’t held up its end.
That defense has become its own problem. Even with regular starters in the lineup, the Wildcats have been stuck in a rough stretch marked by missed fits, poor tackling, and a general lack of awareness.
For a unit with this much star power, it has been a major letdown. Instead of serving as the backbone of the team, it has been a liability.
That leaves a simple question heading into today: what exactly are the Wildcats going to look like?
There’s still enough talent on the roster to win this game. The pieces are there. But with so much in flux, Kansas State is hardly a sure thing right now.
Oklahoma State arrives in Manhattan with a 5-3 record after a 51-49 loss to Iowa State last weekend. The Cowboys are 3-2 overall under Eric Morris in his first year after coming over from North Texas, and they’ve gotten a lift from quarterback Drew Mestemaker, who followed Morris from Denton.
Morris also brings a background from the lower levels of FBS, while Collin Klein is still learning on the job in his first year as a head coach at any level. That inexperience has shown at times this season.
For Kansas State, the path is obvious. The Wildcats need this one.
They’ve struggled away from Bill Snyder Family Stadium, and with only two home games left - four total - the margin for error is shrinking fast. Protecting home field matters now, both for postseason hopes and for the extra practice time that comes with it.
Kickoff is set for 12:00pm CDT at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The game will air on TNT/HBO Max with J.B. Long on play-by-play, Mike Golic Jr. as analyst, and Jared Greenberg reporting from the sidelines.
For those without access to TNT/HBO Max, the game will be available on the 29-station K-State Sports Network with Wyatt Thompson, Stan Weber, and Matt Walters on the call. It will also air on SiriusXM Satellite Radio Ch. 177 or 247 and stream online through the Varsity Network app. Live stats are available at k-statesports.com, and Twitter updates will come from @KStateFB.
In Other News...
Kansas State Suddenly Has Bigger Problems Than One Ugly Loss
The setback against Oklahoma State was ugly from the opening moments, and it left Kansas State with far more to sort through than just one bad afternoon at home. The Cowboys controlled the game from the start, with quarterback Drew Mestemaker throwing for 313 yards and four touchdowns while the Wildcats never found much rhythm on either side of the ball.
At 4-5, Kansas State now has little margin left if it wants to reach bowl eligibility, and the path forward suddenly looks a lot tighter than it did a week ago. Two more wins are still required, but after a performance like this, the bigger concern is whether the Wildcats can steady themselves quickly enough to get there. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Got Its First Win But Creighton Looms Large
Kansas State opened the Casey Alexander era with a much-needed 95-78 win over Cal State Northridge on Nov. 6 at Bramlage Coliseum, and Brandon Rechsteiner made sure the night carried some early momentum. He poured in a career-high 26 points and knocked down six 3-pointers, giving the Wildcats a clear offensive spark in their first victory under the new coach.
The challenge gets steeper quickly, though, with Creighton coming to Manhattan on Nov. 10 for Kansas States first high-major test of the season. After getting the first one in the books, the Wildcats now have a chance to see how that opening-night energy holds up against a far more demanding opponent. [Read more 🡒]
K-State Finally Showed The Response Fans Wanted Under Casey Alexander
After a rocky start to the Casey Alexander era, Kansas State finally gave its home crowd something to build on with a 95-78 win over Cal State Northridge at Bramlage Coliseum. The Wildcats looked sharper from the opening stretch, playing with more energy and a better rhythm on offense, and the result was their first victory under their new head coach.
Brandon Rechsteiner set the tone with 26 points, five assists and three rebounds, while Montana Wheeler and Matt Gilhool added 12 points apiece. Just as important for K-State was the balance around them, with seven players hitting at least one 3-pointer and the Wildcats connecting at a 41% clip from beyond the arc, a sign the offense may be starting to find a more reliable shape. [Read more 🡒]