Oklahoma State Cowboys (5-2 SU, 4-3 ATS) vs. No. 3 Kansas State Wildcats (8-0 SU, 6-1-1 ATS)
College Football Week 10
Date/Time: Saturday November 3rd, 2012. 8:00PM Eastern
Where: Bill Snyder Stadium Manhattan, K.S.
TV: ABC
by Jay, Football Handicapper, Predictem.com
Point Spread: OSU +7/KSU -7
Over/Under Total: OFF
With each passing week, it appears that Bill Snyder’s Kansas State Wildcats are destined to be college football’s Cinderella story of 2012. The Wildcats improved to 8-0 last week with another impressive victory by blasting no. 14 Texas Tech 55-24. It was the Wildcats 2nd straight blowout victory over a top 15 opponent and with just 4 games remaining it puts Kansas State in legitimate position to run the table for a perfect regular season. Furthermore if you look at the way Kansas State is winning games in convincing fashion, they will likely earn a trip to the National Championship Game even if teams like Oregon, Notre Dame, and Ohio State remain undefeated. Therefore Kansas State must continue to handle business starting with the visiting Oklahoma State Cowboys this Saturday night.
Oklahoma State will bring the nation’s top ranked offense into Manhattan this Saturday night averaging a lucrative 586 total yards per game. The Cowboys can do it all on offense mixing up the run and the pass. Running back Joseph Randle leads the Big 12 with 891 rushing yards on the season while averaging 5.6 yards per touch. Randle has been able to make some really big plays in the run game this season which has given the Cowboys some balance on the offensive side of the football.
As always, Oklahoma State throws the football extremely well averaging 347 yards per game (6th in FBS). QB Wes Lunt returned last week from a knee injury to throw for 324 yards with 1 score and 1 pick. Lunt was the starter going into the year but suffered an injury in mid-September that kept him sidelined for weeks. Backup J.W Walsh did a great job in the relief role for Lunt but he was also injured in a season ending injury two weeks ago against Iowa State. Therefore, Lunt has the sole reigns of the offense going forward which should still move the football extremely well.
The question for the Cowboys this Saturday night will be can they stop Collin Klein and the Kansas State offense? The Wildcats have posted 55 points in each of the past two games against West Virginia and a rather respectable Texas Tech defense. QB Collin Klein is dominating with his arm and legs eerily similar to the way Tim Tebow dominated the college football landscape back in 2009. Klein has racked up 636 rushing yards along with 16 touchdowns on the ground alone this season. Not to mention, the senior quarterback has completed 70.3% passing for 1,630 yards with 12 scores and just 2 picks on the year.
Still, Klein cannot be given all the credit for the Wildcats breakout season. Running back John Hubert has racked up 722 yards and 10 touchdowns in the ground game. Hubert and Klein are a big reason why Kansas State has been so difficult to defend against the run. Overall, the Wildcats average 228 yards per game running the football. Outside the offensive accolades, the defense needs to be given credit as well. Kansas State may have one of the most under rated defenses in the country. The Wildcats defense held Texas Tech to 24 points, Oklahoma to 19 points, and West Virginia to just 14 points. As we all know, those 3 offenses are among the best in the country and it is time the Wildcats defense starts getting some respect. Perhaps one more big challenge remains this Saturday night for the Kansas State defense against Oklahoma State’s number 1 overall offense.
Jay’s Pick to Cover the Point Spread: Kansas State has not shown any signs of slowing down and they are playing some of the best football in the nation right now. Sure if things go astray, Oklahoma State has the offensive weapons to pull of a possible upset. However, that is not going to happen as defense separates the two teams. Kansas State continues to win big! Take Kansas State -7
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