There’s the Kansas we’ve been waiting for.
It might have been against a bad Houston team, but the Jayhawk offense went off in a 42-14 win to pull up out of the nosedive, even if just for a moment.
It doesn’t get any easier after this date at Kansas State with Iowa State, at BYU, Colorado, and at Baylor to close, but if the O is working, this team can hang with anyone.
Kansas State came back roaring after the bizarre 38-9 loss at BYU. It rolled over Oklahoma State, got past Colorado on the road, and played perhaps its best game of the year in a 45-18 win at West Virginia.
With Kansas this week, Houston next week, and home games ahead against Arizona State and Cincinnati before closing at Iowa State, the Wildcats are still deep in the mix for the Big 12 title.
Oct 19, 2024; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; Kansas State Wildcats players celebrate with fans after defeating the West Virginia Mountaineers at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium.
© Ben Queen-Imagn Images
Kansas vs Kansas State Preview
Kansas vs Kansas State How to Watch
Date: Saturday, October 26, 2024
Game Time: 8:00 pm ET
Venue: Bill Snyder Family Stadium, Manhattan, KS
How to Watch: ESPN2
Kansas (2-5), Kansas State (6-1)
- Week 9 Schedule, Predictions
Why Kansas Will Win
It’s amazing what happens when the offense is terrific.
It warmed up the season with 530 yards in the blowout win over Lindenwood, but it’s been a struggle to keep things moving ever since.
The 467 yards put up in the win over Houston were the most cranked up since Week 1 with a great balance and a terrific performance from the ground game.
The Jayhawk O has to open it up. The Kansas State defense is good enough to stuff the KU ground game, but it got hit hard through the air by both Oklahoma State and Colorado.
For all of the sputters and coughs, Kansas is still the best in the Big 12 on third downs, the offense is great at putting points on the board when there’s a chance - it’s perfect this year in the red zone - and it should open it up even more. But …
Predictions for Every Remaining Game
ACC | Big Ten | Big 12 | SEC | IND & Pac-12
AAC | CUSA | MAC | MWest | Sun Belt
Why Kansas State Will Win
Welcome to the Kansas State defense.
It’s No. 1 in the Big 12 against the run. It’ll allow Kansas to get moving through the air a bit, but there will be a lot of bending without a ton of breaking. Get ready for plenty of Kansas field goal attempts.
The lines should be where the Wildcats thrive. They’re great at keeping teams from getting behind the line, and on the other side the defensive front is wonderful at getting into the backfield.
The pass rush will be steady, the running game will pound away, and overall the team should be in control.
Kansas isn’t steady enough with the passing game - it’s only hitting 57% of its passes, but …
Kansas vs Kansas State: Who Will Win
It’s Kansas vs Kansas State, but …
Throw out the Throw Out The Record Books cliché thing when it comes to this rivalry.
Kansas State has won 15 straight going back to 2008, and this year’s team is too steady and too good to let the streak die as long as it’s not turning the ball over in bunches.
Kansas will get the O moving - there will be a few explosive plays in the first half - but Kansas State will rumble way too well as it pushes through in the second half.
Kansas vs Kansas State Prediction, Betting Lines
Kansas State 37, Kansas 28
Line: Kansas State -10, o/u: 55.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 2.5
Kansas vs Kansas State Must See Rating: 3.5
CFN Week 9 Expert Picks
Louisville at BC | Boise St at UNLV
Rutgers at USC | Nebraska at Ohio St
Notre Dame at Navy | Wash at Indiana
Oklahoma at Ole Miss | Illinois at Oregon
BYU at UCF | Missouri at Alabama
Texas at Vanderbilt | Florida St at Miami
Penn St at Wisconsin | LSU at Texas A&M
Mich St at Michigan | Cincy at Colorado
Wash St at SDSU | Nevada at Hawaii
