Athlon Sports’ Kansas State vs. Texas Preview
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Kansas State
Team preview
In Athlon’sbig 12 preview, the Wildcats were picked to finish sixth in the conference. However, Kansas State does have some potential on both sides of the ball. On offense, quarterback Skylar Thompson returns after a solid 2018 season. The junior signal-caller completed 59.5 percent of his throws for 2, 1937 yards and 16 touchdowns to only six interceptions. He also rushed for 639 yards and 11 scores on the ground. While those numbers aren’t eye-popping, Thompson should continue to improve in 2019 with another year of experience under his belt.
The biggest question mark for the Wildcats will be their receiving corps. Isiah Zuber is the only returning player with more than 20 catches from last season. The good news is that there are a few talented young players ready to step up, including freshman Malik Knowles and junior college transfer Joshua Youngblood.
Kansas State’s offensive line is also a concern heading into 2019. The unit allowed 31 sacks last season and struggled at times in run blocking. Left tackle Scott Frantz is one of the best linemen in the conference, but this group will need to come together as a whole if the Wildcats want to make any noise offensively in 2019.
Key players
For Kansas State, the key players to watch on offense are quarterback Skylar Thompson and wide receiver Malik Knowles. Thompson is coming off a strong performance in last week’s win over TCU, in which he threw for 247 yards and two touchdowns. He’ll need to be sharp again this week against a Texas defense that is among the best in the Big 12. Knowles has been one of the Wildcats’ most consistent receivers this season, catching 33 passes for 593 yards and four touchdowns. He’s also a threat on special teams, averaging nearly 30 yards per kick return.
On defense, Kansas State will look to slow down Texas’ running game, led by freshman quarterback Sam Ehlinger. The Wildcats have been solid against the run this season, allowing just 122.6 yards per game on the ground. They’ll need to be at their best against Ehlinger, who has rushed for 537 yards and eight touchdowns this season. Other players to watch on defense include linebacker Trent Tanking and defensive back Dajon Mosely.
Texas
Texas Longhorns will be looking to get back on track when they face-off against the Kansas State Wildcats. After a disappointing loss to the Oklahoma Sooners, the Longhorns will be looking to prove they are still a force to be reckoned with in the Big 12. The Wildcats, on the other hand, are coming off a big win against the TCU Horned Frogs.
Team preview
Both teams come into this contest unbeaten, but Texas has looked like the more complete team thus far. The Longhorns have wins over Louisiana Tech and Rice, while Kansas State’s victories have come against Missouri State and UTSA.
Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger has been impressive through two games, completing 61 of 87 passes for 787 yards and eight touchdowns with one interception. The Longhorns also have a solid rushing attack, averaging 176.5 yards per game on the ground.
The Kansas State offense has been solid as well, averaging 33 points per game. Quarterback Skylar Thompson has thrown for 567 yards and four touchdowns with one interception, while running back James Gilbert has rushed for 245 yards and two scores.
The defenses will be the key in this contest, as both units have been very good so far this season. Texas is allowing just 12 points per game, while Kansas State is giving up an average of only 16 points per contest.
Key players
For Kansas State, the key player to watch is running back Alex Barnes. He’s coming off a career-best game against Baylor, where he rushed for 250 yards and three touchdowns. He’ll need to have another big performance if the Wildcats want to upset the Longhorns.
For Texas, the key player to watch is quarterback Sam Ehlinger. He’s been one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the country this season, throwing for 2,283 yards and 18 touchdowns with just two interceptions. He’ll need to be at his best if the Longhorns want to win this game.
Matchup
It’s a matchup of two Big 12 schools Kansas State and Texas. These are two programs that are very familiar with each other. They’ve played each other a lot recently. Kansas State has had the upper hand in the series, but Texas is coming into this game with a lot of momentum.
Analysis
The Longhorns lost to TCU in their season opener despite outgaining the Frogs by nearly 200 yards. Texas will look to get back on track against Kansas State, a team that is coming off an overtime win over South Dakota.
The Wildcats are led by quarterback Skylar Thompson, who accounted for five touchdowns (three passing, two rushing) in the win over South Dakota. Kansas State’s ground game could be a challenge for the Longhorns, as the Wildcats rushed for nearly 300 yards in their season opener.
On the other side of the ball, Texas will need to find a way to stop Kansas State’s run game. The Longhorns gave up nearly 200 yards rushing to TCU and will need to be better against the Wildcats if they want to come away with a victory.
Texas has won four straight games against Kansas State, but the Wildcats are coming off an impressive win and will be looking to continue their momentum. This should be a close game, but we give the slight edge to Kansas State.
Prediction
Athlon Sports’ Kansas State vs. Texas Preview
In a battle of two 4-3 teams, the Wildcats travel to Austin to take on the Longhorns. Although both squads have identical records, Kansas State has been a bit more consistent this season and enters this contest as slight favorites.
The Wildcats are coming off a 34-20 victory over then-No. 24 TCU in which they outgained the Horned Frogs by nearly 200 yards. The offense was led by quarterback Collin Klein, who accounted for four touchdowns (two passing, two rushing). He also picked up 119 yards on the ground, his fourth 100-yard rushing effort of the season.
The Longhorns, meanwhile, are coming off a disappointing 27-24 home loss to Iowa State in which they blew a 21-7 lead. Texas was outgained by the Cyclones by nearly 50 yards and gave up 24 unanswered points in the second half. The offense was once again led by quarterback David Ash, who threw for 364 yards and three touchdowns. However, he also threw two costly interceptions.
On paper, these two teams look fairly even. However, Kansas State has been more consistent this season and has played better against tougher competition. The Wildcats also have the advantage of being at full strength while Texas is banged up on both sides of the ball. Look for Kansas State to come out on top in a close one.
