Sunflower Showdown football preview: No. 11 K-State vs. KU

When/where: 3 p.m. Saturday at Bill Snyder Family Stadium in Manhattan, Kan.

TV/radio: Fox Sports 1; WHB (810 AM) for the K-State broadcast and KCSP (610 AM) for KU

The series: KU leads 65-41-5

The line: K-State by 28

KANSAS (3-8, 1-7 Big 12)

KANSAS STATE (8-2, 6-1 Big 12)

What’s at stake for KU

For Kansas and interim coach Clint Bowen, there will be no bowl game. So this is a chance to close the 2014 season on a memorable note. Bowen, coaching his eighth game, has a final opportunity to bolster his resume as Kansas gears up for the stretch run of its long coaching search. Bowen’s case took a hit last week in a 44-7 loss at Oklahoma. But Bowen has stressed that his brief tenure should be about the players. On Saturday, the Jayhawks will say goodbye to another senior class that battled through coaching changes and uncertainty. The list of seniors includes linebacker Ben Heeney and cornerback JaCorey Shepherd, two players who quietly put together very solid careers.

What’s at stake for K-State

The Wildcats can stay in a three-way tie with TCU and Baylor atop the Big 12 standings with a victory, setting up a trophy game in the season finale at Baylor. A victory would also push K-State to nine wins and within reach of another 10-win season. The Wildcats are also hoping to win on senior day.

KU will cheer if …

Bill Snyder announces his retirement after the game. OK, that probably won’t happen. How about if it’s still a game heading into the fourth quarter? The Jayhawks have lost five straight to K-State, and the average margin of victory has been 31.6. Kansas was competitive against TCU — a team that defeated K-State — but this one is on the road.

K-State will cheer if …

It runs the ball for more than 100 yards. Sure, that is a low bar against a Kansas defense that allowed Oklahoma’s Samaje Perine to set the NCAA rushing record last week, but it would be a victory for a Wildcats running attack that managed 1 yard against West Virginia and never got going against TCU.

Three things about KU

1 The Jayhawks’ long road losing streak has been overshadowed by some other story lines, but it’s still going strong. Kansas has lost 29 consecutive true road games and 32 straight games away from Lawrence. KU’s last victory in Manhattan came in 2007.

2 Kansas’ bowl drought has now reached six years, with its last appearance coming at the 2008 Insight Bowl. It’s the longest drought since Kansas went eight seasons without a bowl from 1996 to 2002.

3 Senior linebacker Ben Heeney, a Hutchinson native, enters his final game ranked second in the country in solo tackles (7.3 per game) and ninth in the country in tackles per game (11.0).

Three things about K-State

1 Bill Snyder is a perfect 5-0 against Kansas since his return to the sideline in 2009.

2 K-State ranks second nationally in punt returns. Tyler Lockett returned a punt 43 yards for a touchdown against West Virginia.

3 Jake Waters is coming off a career passing day. He threw for 400 yards against West Virginia.

Key matchup

K-State receiver Tyler Lockett vs. the KU secondary: Lockett, who will play his final home game on Saturday, is the only player in the FBS with 1,000 receiving yards, 200 kick-return yards and 200 punt-return yards. Lockett is also five catches from surpassing his father Kevin’s school record for receptions (217). While KU’s defense has its problems, the Jayhawks do feature two superb cover corners in JaCorey Shepherd and Dexter McDonald. Kansas can’t afford to get burned too often.

KANSAS OFFENSE

KANSAS DEFENSE

KANSAS STATE OFFENSE

KANSAS STATE DEFENSE

Rustin Dodd’s pick: K-State 41-24

If the weather cooperates, Kansas’ passing game should keep the Jayhawks in the game for a half or three quarters. But Kansas lacks the overall depth to beat K-State on the road.

Kellis Robinett’s pick: K-State 30-14

The Wildcats will get back to the basics — running the ball and controlling the clock — on senior day against the Jayhawks and win by a comfortable margin.

Rustin Dodd, rdodd@kcstar.com; Kellis Robinett, krobinett@kcstar.com

This story was originally published November 27, 2014 at 9:20 PM with the headline "Sunflower Showdown football preview: No. 11 K-State vs. KU."